Tori captures first Weeks vault battle

Arkansas sophomore Lexi Weeks (left) and her twin sister, Tori Weeks, watch other pole vaulters compete before entering on Friday, Jan. 13, 2017, during the Arkansas Invitational meet at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- It had been a while since Arkansas sophomore Tori Weeks beat her twin sister, Lexi, in the pole vault.

"I don't remember the last time I beat her," Tori Weeks said. "It's been a long time.

"Some time back in high school I think."

Tori Weeks beat her sister Friday at the Arkansas Invitational, clearing a personal-best 14 feet, 6 inches to win at the opening meet of the indoor season before an announced crowd of 1,385 at the Randal Tyson Track Center.

Lexi Weeks, who swept SEC and NCAA indoor and outdoor pole vault titles last year and competed for the United States at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, cleared 14-0 to take second.

The Weeks starred at Cabot High School before coming to Arkansas, where Tori earned All-American honors as a freshman, but couldn't beat her sister at any meet.

"I'm happy for her," Lexi Weeks said. "She's a phenomenal vaulter as well and she had a great day.

"We're happy for each other whoever wins. It was her day and she beat me."

Lexi Weeks said she started feeling tightness in her left hamstring and decided to stop after clearing 14-0.

"This early in the season it's not worth making it worse," she said. "Jumping 14 isn't a bad day. It's not what I wanted necessarily, but it is what it is."

Other highlights for the Arkansas' No. 2-ranked women's team and No. 4 men's team Friday included:

• Defending NCAA indoor champion Clive Pullen going 54-8 to win the triple jump

• Taliyah Brooks winning the long jump with a school record 21-1 1/2 leap

• Kenzo Cotton taking second in the 60 meters in 6.70 seconds and running a leg on the victorious 1,600 relay

• Nikki Hiltz and Therese Haiss going 1-2 in the mile in 4:36.42 and 4:37.27

• Carlton Orange running his first 400 and winning in 47.91

• Desiree Freier clearing 13-8 ½ in the pole vault after redshirting last year because of an ankle injury

The top 16 vault marks during the season will qualify for the NCAA Championships, but Arkansas assistant coach Bryan Compton said both Weeks should make the field with their performances Friday. He expects Freier to make the NCAA field once she gets more work.

Compton said he wasn't surprised Tori Weeks opened the season with a personal-best vault.

"Tori's really had a great fall and she was looking to clear some big bars today, and she did," Compton said. "So we're looking to carry that on."

Weeks said she's improved technically since her freshman year.

"I've fixed a lot of things," she said. "My takeoff is much better than it was at the end of last year, but there's still a lot more to fix. I had a lot expectations to come out here and jump high."

Compton said the Weeks have a healthy sibling competition.

"They root for each other," he said. "But they also push each other."

Tori Weeks' previous best was 14-5 1/4.

"When you're jumping this high, every half-inch you improve counts," Lexi Weeks said. "So for Tori to go 14-6 the first meet is impressive.

"She's definitely got more in her. I think she's going to go 15 this year."

Friday was the first time Lexi Weeks had competed since the Olympics.

"It felt like it had been forever," she said. "So it was nice just to get back on the runway and jump some bars."

Weeks said she expects her hamstring to be healthy enough to allow her to vault next weekend at the Vanderbilt Invitational.

"I think we'll get is solved at the beginning of next week," she said. "I don't think it's a big deal."

Sports on 01/14/2017