It took Cristian Brady a while to take flight. Once he did, he soared higher than he ever has. The Wildcat of the Week returned from the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Allendale, Michigan, Sunday with All-America honors and an improved school record of 5.30 meters (17-feet-4.5) following a third-place finish. The margin between that legendary performance and a disheartening finish to his collegiate career was two stouthearted clearances that came with his season on the line.
Even before that, things were looking a bit shaky for the senior and soon-to-be Wildcat of the Week. Chico State Track and Field Head Coach Oliver Hanf described Brady's warmup prior to the finals as his worst of the year. Brady struggled with his spacing and timing and never even firmly planted his pole.
On his first attempt, at 4.85 meters, he did just what he had been practicing, running through without planting his pole. However, according to Hanf, Brady's body language was good throughout his warmup and even after his failed first attempt. His state of mind was good. He never lost his focus. Brady's second attempt gave he and his supporters hope. He was not particularly close to clearing the bar, but he got airborne. That left him one more try. If he cleared the bar, he would move on to the next height. If not, his All-America aspirations, and his collegiate career, would be over.
In his first of many clutch moments during the meet, Brady met the challenge, cleared the height, and moved on in the competition. The field started with 19 competitors. Brady and 14 others were moving on to attempt to clear 5.00 meters, something Brady had accomplished just once prior in competition, when he broke the Chico State program record with a leap of 5.12 meters at the 2022 Beach Invitational. It did not take him long to make it a second time. Brady cleared the bar on his first attempt. When the dust had cleared, thirteen competitors moved on to take a crack at 5.10 meters. Twelve would be All-Americans, but only the top eight would earn First Team All-America distinction.
Brady was among them, but after missing his first two attempts at that height, it took another gutsy, last-chance, clearance to get it done. With the bar raised to 5.20 meters, Brady now had a chance to not only put himself in position to challenge for the NCAA Division II title, but also break his own Chico State record. And he did it on his first attempt at the height. But he was not done. Brady also breezed over 5.30 meters on his first attempt.
Meanwhile, five competitors failed to clear 5.20 meters, and three more faltered at 5.30 meters. That left just four remaining, and because Brady had been the only one to clear 5.30 meters on his first try, he was in position to win the NCAA title if no one cleared 5.40.
Alas, two did, and when Brady missed on his third attempt at 5.40 meters, he had to settle for third place and the greatest performance in Chico State men's track and field pole vault history. It was a brilliant way to go out.
