Silver medal in hand, South Dakota pole vaulter soaks in Olympic glory

By Mick Garry, for Pigeon605

Chris Nilsen’s first turn at being a celebrity pole vaulter started Wednesday morning, a day after the former University of South Dakota athlete won a silver medal in the event at the Tokyo Summer Olympics.

In company with fellow USA athletes Athing Mu, who won the gold medal in the women’s 800 meters on Tuesday night, and Raevyn Rogers, who won the bronze in the same race, Nilsen spent time on camera in a studio interview with “Today” host Craig Melvin.

With the Tokyo skyline lit up in the background, Melvin called Nilsen “the pride of South Dakota” and then asked what it was like to have a silver medal hanging around his neck.

Nilsen, who vaulted a personal best 19 feet, 7 inches to earn the silver, shared the medal stand with gold medal winner Mondo Duplantis of Sweden and bronze winner Thiago Braz of Brazil, who won the gold in 2016. He summarized what it was like to stare down a dream.

“I don’t think you could have written it up any better,” Nilsen answered. “I think everyone’s goal when they go to the Olympics is to have the best possible performance – and to not only do my best but to do better than I’ve ever done. And to have that land me on the podium in such a great spot as the silver medal – that’s all I could ask for.”

It was a remarkably crisp response from Nilsen. On the world’s biggest stage, he had delivered the best he’d ever done in the event. The Kansas City, Missouri, native, who left his home for USD in 2016 as a national high school champion, had since won multiple national collegiate championships under the guidance of Coyote pole vault coach Derek Miles, a bronze medal winner in the same event in 2008.

Melvin then confided to the audience that he’d had a conversation with Nilsen during the break about making his way back to Vermillion, where he lives.

“You have like three connections,” Melvin began, “because apparently every airport doesn’t accept your pole vault?”

“Absolutely,” Nilsen answered. “That’s something that the rest of the pole vaulters around the world that I compete with have come to realize that we have a respect for each other and camaraderie for each other because we all have the same struggles. Especially when we’re flying internationally, it’s more of a struggle.”

Melvin began to laugh when Nilsen continued:

“It’s pretty fun to see how people interact with us when we’re there with these 17-foot pole bags,” the medal winner said. “We try our best not to hit people on the way.”

To view the interview, click here.

Meet the USD grad going for Olympic gold