May 16, 2008

Bourbonnais, Ill - On April 12, former two-time NAIA Pole Vault and Olivet Nazarene University graduate Mark Hollis cleared the U.S. Olympic Trial "B" standard of 5.50 meters with a vault of 5.51 meters (18'1") at the Wheaton College (Ill.) Invitational.

Hollis not only bettered that mark on April 23, he bettered the Olympic Trial "A" standard of 5.70 meters, vaulting 5.71 meters (18'8 ¾") at a mall in Des Moines, Iowa, promoting that weekend's Drake University (Iowa) Relays.

By clearing the Olympic Trials' "A" standard, Hollis became an automatic qualifier to the Olympic Trials and has his trip paid for by USA Track & Field.

The event in the Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines ended when Hollis, and fellow competitor Derek Miles, failed to clear 19'0 ¾". Miles was declared the winner of the event, earning $2,500 in merchandise from a local business, because he cleared the previous height in two attempts, while it took Hollis three tries.

Both Miles and Hollis will participate at the U.S. Olympic Trials, which will take place from June 27-July 6, 2008 in Eugene, Ore.

Hollis joins Sara Stevenson as the only two former Olivet athletes that have competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Stevenson finished fifth at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials in the race walk event and was an alternate for the United States at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games.

Hollis won the 2006 NAIA National Outdoor Championship with a vault of 17'2 ¾" and followed that with a winning leap of 17'5 ¾" in 2007. He finished second in 2005 with a leap of 16'8 ¾".