Track And Field Oregon Preps -- Record-Setting High Jumper Wins At 6-10

EUGENE, Ore. - Bend senior Damian Olson defended his high jump title Friday with a leap of 6 feet, 10 inches, the same height he had last season, at the 4A boys state high-school track and field championships.

It was well under the state record of 7-3 1/2 he set two weeks ago in Bend in a dual meet.

He failed in three attempts at 7- 1/2, which would have been a meet record.

"I don't know what happened. I didn't jump as good as I wanted," said Olson, who will attend the University of Oregon on a track scholarship.

Grant Robinson of McMinnville won the boys 3,000-meter run in the best time in the state this year, 8 minutes, 32.79 seconds.

In 4A girls competition, North Salem's Rachelle Paul won the discus with a personal best of 138-2.

Sandy senior Pamela Johnson won the girls 3,000 meters in 9:59.45, well back of the meet record of 9:46.87 set in 1981. Sophomore Amanda Brown of Sheldon defended her title in the long jump with 18-8.

In boys 3A, Matt Petz of La Pine broke the pole vault record, clearing 16-7.

Newport senior Rhy Reynolds, favored to win the 3,000, missed the race because of a confusion in starting times. The race began at 11:20 a.m.

"My coach put down that I was to be here at 2:30 this afternoon," Reynolds said. Newport Coach Jim Harshfield was unavailable for comment.

Lafe Paulson of Cascade won the 3,000 in 8:51.39.