Grand Saline’s Ross Clears All Goals, Brings Home Gold

Grand Saline’s Colton Ross won the Class 2A gold medal for pole vault at the state track meet held in Austin on June 5-6. Ross made four jumps without a miss, eventually clearing 15’ to capture the title.

"It’s pretty exciting, knowing you’re top in the state," he said after returning home. "It’s really shocking. You don’t know if you should believe it or not. But now I have to go back to work. I can’t stop here. I have another year to go, and I want clear 16’ or 16’6"."

In clearing 15’, Ross broke the school record he set at the regional meet. The Ross family has owned the school record for some years now, as Colton’s older brother Jake was the previous record holder. That has been a motivating factor for Colton.

"My brother got into it, and I watched him growing up," Colton said of Jake, who last competed in 2004. "He held the (school) record, and I always told him I was going to break it when I was a junior."

Colton accomplished that at the regional meet. He won the meet by tying the record of 14’6", then had the bar raised to 14’7" to set the new record. His brother was there to see it.

"He has been coaching me this year," Colton explained. "He was happy for me."

Jake was also on hand to see his younger win the gold medal, but there was not a lot of suspense. Ross went into the state meet with the best jump of the season, and half of the eight competitors went out on the opening height of 13’. Ross took his first jump at 13’6" and cleared it on his first try. He did the same at 14’, 14’6", and 15’.

With the state title in hand, his attempts at the next height were less than focused.

"By then, my emotions were pretty high," he said.

He can be excused for that, particularly as the emotions are back in check, and Colton will be back at work soon.

"I’ll be pole vaulting all summer, and year round," he said. "I love the sport, and I hope to be able to do it at the next level."