17-Year-Old Track and Field Athlete Explains the True Push Behind His Milestone Achieved in the USATF Nationals

Sometimes life gives you a sign, you’re in the wrong place, and it’s time to move on to bigger goals. For 17-year-old Victor Olesen, that moment came after years in gymnastics. Burned out, he found a new passion: Pole vaulting. “My gymnastics coach introduced me to my current pole vault coach once I burnt out of gymnastics,” Olesen shared with Nike. Stepping into the unfamiliar territory of track and field, he embraced the challenge, believing he could achieve greatness.

And now, this year, he has pushed himself to claim victory at the U20 USATF Championships, defending his title and even breaking his record. For Olesen, clearing the elusive 18-foot barrier was everything.

Back in March at the Nike Indoor Nationals, the St. Christopher’s (VA) senior thought he had finally conquered it. His vault sent him soaring past the mark, the bar stayed firm, and the crowd erupted. He sprinted to his coach, embraced him, and celebrated what felt like a dream come true. But moments later, heartbreak struck.

Officials ruled the attempt a miss after noticing the bar resting on the standards. Since then, he chased the elusive 18-foot barrier all outdoor season, managing a best of 17-8.50. And finally, at the USA U20 Championships, redemption arrived. Soaring over 18 feet (5.49m), he etched his name in history as only the 16th high schooler to achieve the feat.

No drama this time, just flawless execution. “It means the world,” Olesen remarked. “I’ve looked at that bar countless times. I’ve looked at it after a jump when I thought I made it. To finally hit that mat and know that it stood up there, I looked right for that white flag — it was a dream come true.” When asked about how the rising track and field star made it through the mark, he said, “18 was going through my head for this entire meet and in the weeks leading up to it. I really wanted that one.”

Breaching the 18-foot mark meant more to him this time because it was his coach’s dream, too. In a recent conversation with Runnerspace and Nike, he revealed that his coach had always wanted to train an athlete who could clear 18 feet, and he wanted it now more than ever. “This year, my greatest accomplishment came at the very end of the year at the American U-20s.”

He further added, “I pole vaulted 18 feet, which was not only a personal best but also a goal that I’ve been chasing for some years now. When I first started pole vaulting, my coach, Val, looked at me and said, ‘I want to coach an 18-footer.’ And so, to kind of fulfill that goal and reach it was something that was really special.” For him, soaring over the 18 feet was much sweeter than any gold, at least for the time being, especially as Team USA pulled out of the Pan American U20 Championships in Colombia over safety and logistical concerns. What next?

We will definitely be hearing this track and field athlete’s name more often, considering his achievements. But meanwhile, he also has some advice for people like him, and especially for those entering the sport.

“Focus on the mental game,” track and field star Victor Olesen advises up-and-coming athletes

Fresh off back-to-back wins at the U20 Championships, Nike handpicked Olesen for their Elite Program, a nod to his rising stardom in track and field. With that backing, Olesen is ready to leave his mark on the future of pole vaulting.

In a chat with Nike and Runnerspace, when asked what advice he’d give aspiring athletes, he shared, “The advice I would give to other athletes is to train to focus on your mental game. I think this mental game was definitely, for me, a competitive one; it helped me a lot.” True, before surpassing your physical strength, you need to strengthen your mind to truly surpass your limits.

The athlete further expressed his next goal.

“My goal for the upcoming season is, again, to go undefeated and win the U20 Championships.” Olesen knows what it takes to reach the top, and fearlessness is at the heart of it. According to his St. Christopher’s coach, that’s exactly what defines him.

“Victor is thoughtful and modest, but unafraid,” said Marshall Ware, St. Christopher’s head coach, in the release. “He relishes competition, but celebrates others’ achievements as well as his own.”

Last year, on May 11, Olesen etched his name into Virginia track and field history when he broke the state record by 17-7 in the pole vault. That relentless drive just earned him another milestone: Gatorade Player of the Year. He now stands among an elite group, becoming only the third athlete from the 804 area to claim the honor, following Godwin’s Luke Smyers (baseball) and Matoaca’s Kaylee Hodges (softball).

With fearlessness as his trademark and Nike backing him, could Victor Olesen be America’s next pole vaulting phenomenon?