TOBY STEVENSON

TOBY STEVENSON
Event: Pole Vault
Height: 6-1
Weight: 180
PR: 6.00m/19-8.25 (2004)
Born: November 19, 1976 in Odessa, Texas
Current Residence: Chula Vista, Calif.
High School: Permian (TX) HS '96
College: Stanford University '00
Coach: Todd Henson
Agent: Karen Locke
Club: Nike

Career Highlights: 2004 Olympic silver medalist; 2004 Olympic trials runner-up; 2006 USA Outdoor runner-up; 2004 USA Indoor champion; 2003 Pan Am gold medalist; 1998 NCAA champion; 2000 NCAA runner-up

Stevenson’s best performance in 2006 was when he finished as the runner-up at the World Athletics Final with his highest clearance of year of 5.82m/19-1. Stevenson finished third at the 2005 USA Outdoor Championships, but did not compete at the World Outdoor Championships in Helsinki. He had been battling a sore hamstring, and he tried a few warm-up trips down the runway before determining that he was unable to compete...Stevenson enjoyed a banner year in 2004 with his runner-up finish at the Olympic Trials and a silver medal winning performance at the Olympic Games in Athens. He burst on the scene earlier in the summer when he cleared the 6.0-meter barrier at the Modesto Relays. A six-time All-American and the 1998 NCAA pole vault champion, Stevenson recently moved to the ARCO Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., after two years on the coaching staff at Stanford University, his alma mater. While on the Stanford staff, Stevenson worked with the pole vaulters and multi-event performers. During his senior season in 2000, Stevenson captured the Pac-10 title in the pole vault, and gained All-America honors outdoors for a third time when he finished second at the NCAA Championships at Duke University. His eight points helped lead the Cardinal to the NCAA title, Stanford’s first outdoor track & field title in 66 years. Stevenson set the school record in 2000 in the pole vault with a leap of 18-9.25, which was the Pac-10 all-time record. In 1998, Stevenson captured the NCAA Outdoor pole vault title, Stanford’s first pole vault champion at the NCAA’s since Ward Clemens in 1929. Stevenson graduated with a BA degree in Economics in 2000…Stevenson also was a star in high school. The top-ranked 18-year-old pole vaulter in the world in 1995, he was the 1995 Texas State champion. He set 24 school records and was unbeaten during his senior season at Permian High School…A three-time district champion and two-time regional champion, he cleared more than 16 feet in every meet his senior season, with a personal best of 17 feet…enjoys surfing and music…is also well-known for wearing a helmet in competition and for his extroverted, post-clearance celebrations.

2008: Olympic Trials Finalist (NH)

2007: 8th at USA Outdoor Championships (5.50m/18-0.5)...5th at Millrose Games (5.6m/18-4.5)...4th at Reebok Grand Prix (5.5m/18-0.5)...3rd at Perth (5.61m/18-4.75)...ranked #9 in U.S by T&FN...best of 5.61m/18-4.75.

2006: USA Outdoor runner-up (5.80m/19-00.25)...3rd at USA Indoor Champs (5.60m/18-4.5)...tied for 2nd at World Athletics Final (5.82m/19-1)...1st at Nike Prefontaine Classic (5.50m/18-00.50)...5th at Rome (5.72)...4th at Athens (5.70m)...ranked #5 in world (#2 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 5.82m/19-1.

2005: 3rd at USA Outdoor Champs (5.65m/18-6.5)...2nd in pole vault at Nike Prefontaine Classic (5.90m/19-04.25)...1st at Monterrey (5.90m/19-4.25)...1st at Modesto Relays (5.85m/19-2.25)...ranked #8 in world (#3 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 5.90m/19-4.25.

2004: Olympic Games silver medalist (5.90m/19-4.25)...2nd at Olympic trials in the pole vault (5.85m/19-2.25)...USA Indoor pole vault champion (5.80m/19-0.25)...5.55m/18-2.5 in qualifying round of World Indoors (dnq)...1st at Modesto (6.00m/19-8.25PR)...4th at Nike Prefontaine Classic (5.80m/19-0.50)...1st at Verizon Millrose Games (5.70m/18-8.25)...1st at Seattle (5.81m/19-0.75)...1st at Drake Relays (5.71m/18-8.75)...1st at Phoenix (5.94m/19-5.75)...1st at Payton Jordan US Open (5.85m/19-2.25)...ranked #2 in the world and U.S. by T&FN...best of 6.00m/19-8.25PR.

2003: Pan Am Games gold medalist (17-10.5)...4th at USA Outdoors (5.65m/18-6.50)...1st at Stanford (5.75m/18-10.50)...1st at Fresno (5.67m/18-7.25)...3rd at Bislett Games (5.70m/18-8.50)...5th at Madrid (5.73m/18-9.5)...2nd at Mt. SAC (5.70m/18-8.25)...3rd at Oslo (5.70m/18-8.25)...best of 5.75m/18-10.50...ranked #4 in U.S by T&FN.

2002: 4th at USA Indoors (5.52m/18-1.50)...4th at USA Outdoors (5.74m/18-10PR)...1st at Stanford (5.71m/18-8.75)...1st at Fresno (5.61m/18-4.75)...2nd at Mt. SAC (5.61m/18-4.75)...2nd at Nike Prefontaine (5.74m/18-10)...ranked #5 in U.S by T&FN...best of 5.74m/18-10.

2001: Best of 5.40m/17-8.5.

2000: 1st at Pac-10 Outdoors2nd at NCAA Outdoors...no-height at U.S. Olympic Trials...ranked #9 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 5.72m/18-9.25.

1999: 2nd at Pac-10 Outdoors...2nd at NCAA Outdoors...best of 5.55m/18-2.5.

1998: NCAA Outdoor champion...4th at Pac-10 Outdoors...best of 18-2.5.

7/2/08
Courtesy USATF

Keith Conning: I interviewed Toby on the Sony JumboTron at the 2004 Modesto Relays.

" JumboTron is a large-screen television using technology developed by Sony, typically used in sports stadiums and concert venues to show close up shots of the event. Although JumboTron is a registered trademark owned by the Sony Corporation, the word jumbotron is often used by the public as a genericized trademark. Sony JumboTrons ceased being sold in 2001, when the company decided to exit the business."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JumboTron