Blind Pole Vaulter Makes State Championships

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Most people would find the sport of pole vaulting extremely difficult, which it is, but doing it when you’re legally blind, now that is a tough task indeed. It doesn’t seem to affect Aria Ottmueller form Arizona as she has excelled in the sport qualifying in the Arizona track and field state championships.

She is 100 percent blind (she was born that way) though now she has 20-400 vision, which still rules out her seeing anything but very vague shapes and that goes away at night or on a cloudy day. She says she can’t see the pit, she can’t see the bar, but she loves being in the air. She began competing on the track and field team in distance running, but found that too easy so she decided to try pole vaulting. Now, a junior at Valley Christian, she has excelled beyond her parents' and especially her coaches' wildest dreams.

Yahoo.com