SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Emily Grove and Chris Nilsen are no strangers to training. But for the next month, they will be in competition mode.
“We have the U.S. Championships on August 2nd, and we’re August 3rd on Sunday, so the girls are a little bit unique. Katie Moon won in 2023. So now Katie gets to go to the world championships in Tokyo. And then they’ll take the top three after Katie. So and then for the guys it’s just straight top three,” said Emily Grove.
Grove is currently ranked as the 14th top women’s pole vaulter in the world. And Nilsen is the men’s 8th top pole vaulter. (according to worldathletics.org)
“Everyone kind of likes to put a ton of emphasis on the Olympics, and rightfully so, because it’s every four years and you get to kind of, you know, compete for your country and help out your country and, and that sort of way,” said Chris Nilsen. “But for us, as track and field athletes, we have a world championship every single year. So it’s kind of like having an Olympics every single year, just not as recognized. So it’s about the same severity and same stakes.”
Nilsen competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where he won a silver medal. And made an appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
“It’s nice to have, you know, world-class athletes in our building. They use our facility for, you know, they get speed work. They get the weight room access… I think it’s really nice for our athletes that are here for the summer to see someone who is an athlete as their profession,” said Jesse Haines, Manager, Sanford Sports Performance.
Each day of the week, they have different routines. Mondays are shorter, but high intensity. Tuesdays are more core endurance. Wednesdays are Jump days. And Thursdays are high bar.
“It’s really exciting, especially since I have had a really good year of training and I feel really good,” said Grove. “My numbers are faster than they’ve been. I’ve been lifting a little bit more than I have, so now I feel like if I can apply the tools that I have in the right way, I think it could be pretty special.”
The athletes train both here in Sioux Falls at the Fieldhouse, as well as in Vermillion at the Dakota Dome.
