Owen Keating soared into rarified air on Saturday when the senior at Pompton Lakes cleared 16-6 in the pole vault at the Refuel With Chocolate Milk Officials Hall of Fame Invitational at the New York Armory.
Keating's 16-6 clearance vaults him up to No. 4 in NJ history indoor history, No. 8 all-time in all conditions (indoors and outdoors combined) and it places him No. 2 in the country this season.
The Binghamton University-bound Keating shattered his Passaic County record and personal best of 15-6, which he made at the Saint Invitational on Dec. 20 at the Armory.
The only vaulters in New Jersey history who have gone higher than Keating indoors are Bill Lange of Bridgewater-Raritan (17-0 in 1980), Bradley Jelmert of Watching Hills (16-10 in 2020), and Brian O'Sullivan of Hillsborough (16-6.25 in 2023). In case you're wondering, the NJ outdoor record is 17-4.50, set by Adam Sarafian of Ocean Township at the 2004 Shore Conference Championships.
On the national list for this season, Keating is No. 2 behind junior Victor Olesen of St. Christopher's in Richmond, Va., who cleared 17-3 on his home track last month.
Pole vaulting is in Keating's blood and is a family business. Owen is coached by his dad, Steve, who vaulted at Pompton Lakes in the mid-1980s and held the Passaic County indoor and outdoor records in the vault for several years.