State Champion spotlight: Rihan Smallwood Bangor HS

Mar 18, 2016

State Champion spotlight: Rihan Smallwood Bangor HS

Smallwood a junior from Bangor set a new personal best with her winning clearance at 10-4 in the Class A State meet. Smallwood continued the excellence tradition of Ram vaulters. We caught with her to ask about her preparations, her loss at the EMITL meet & her goals for the season.

What were your preparations leading up to the state meet?

My preparations for the state meet were mostly just keeping my head in the game and trying not to let my nerves get to me. I worked a lot on my form the week prior to states. The day before, I was especially nervous knowing that my EMITL meet hadn't gone as well as I had hoped, but once I got down there, I got really excited about doing what I love, and just had fun with it.

How did you deal with the pressure and emotions that come along with competing in a state meet?

When I got to the meet, I was definitely more excited than nervous. I went in with a very positive attitude and without doubting my competition. It's difficult going into a meet and competing with girls who you've never competed against. I also knew by looking at rankings that competing wasn't going to be easy. I told myself that I had to stay focused and really try not to overthink the meet.

You jumped a personal best 10-4 to win the Class A state meet, after getting beat at the EMITL Championship on Monday. Did the loss on Monday motivate you more for the state meet? What did it mean to win the state title with a personal best?

The loss at the EMITL Champs did kind of get in my head, but it only pushed me to work on my vaulting more before the state meet. Allison did an absolutely amazing job during that meet and I couldn't have been happier for her! Allison getting the height (10'3) that I had been working for really pushed me during the state meet to go to that higher height. To win the state title was amazing. I was so humbled and excited, especially knowing that I had cleared height that I had never cleared before; even during outdoor last year! It's always a good thing to come out of a big meet with a PR when it's late in the season. My body tends to tire out a lot during the end, so it just feels really good knowing that the hard work I put that season really paid off.

Coming into the season what were your goals and did you achieve them?

My goal for going into the season was clearing 10'. I had cleared it before twice, but it was at the end of outdoor so I knew I was going to have to work to get those heights again. Once I hit 10' for my very first time in indoor, I was super excited to see how my season would finish.

How do you think winning an individual state title will effect you heading into outdoors?

As far as outdoor goes, I am very excited to see what the season brings! Outdoor is usually a little bit tough because of weather and what not but I feel stoked going into this next season knowing I've reached a new height and knowing, mentally, that I can compete with higher heights than I competed with last outdoor season, and hoping to achieve new goals throughout my next few season.

Smallwood's Pole Vault Progression

INDOOR	Graph
2016	10-4
2015	9-0

2015-16 Results

2016	SEASON	EVENT	MEET	DATE	PLACE	ROUND
10-4	Indoor	PV	Class A Indoor State Championship	Feb 15, 2016	1st	Finals	>
28.38	Indoor	200m	Class A Indoor State Championship	Feb 15, 2016	16th	Finals	>
9-6	Indoor	PV	EMITL Championship	Feb 8, 2016	2nd	Finals	>
28.41	Indoor	200m	EMITL Championship	Feb 8, 2016	7th	Finals	>
10-0	Indoor	PV	EMITL: BAN, CEN, ELL, HAM, HER, JB, ORO	Jan 30, 2016	1st	Finals	>
28.87	Indoor	200m	EMITL: BAN, CEN, ELL, HAM, HER, JB, ORO	Jan 30, 2016	5th	Finals	>
10-0	Indoor	PV	EMITL: BAN, BRW, CEN, FOX, HAM, MAT, MDI	Jan 23, 2016	1st	Finals	>
28.66	Indoor	200m	EMITL: BAN, BRW, CEN, FOX, HAM, MAT, MDI	Jan 23, 2016	5th	Finals	>
9-6	Indoor	PV	EMITL: BAN, HAM, OT, ORO	Jan 9, 2016	1st	Finals	>
29.00	Indoor	200m	EMITL: BAN, HAM, OT, ORO	Jan 9, 2016	5th	Finals	>
9-6	Indoor	PV	EMITL: BAN, BUC, ELL, HAM, MAT, ORO, SUM	Jan 2, 2016	1st	Finals	>
28.91	Indoor	200m	EMITL: BAN, BUC, ELL, HAM, MAT, ORO, SUM	Jan 2, 2016	2nd	Finals	>
2015	SEASON	EVENT	MEET	DATE	PLACE	ROUND
9-6	Indoor	PV	EMITL: BAN, BUC, FOX, HER, MAT, OT	Dec 19, 2015	1st	Finals	>
8.07	Indoor	55m	EMITL: BAN, BUC, FOX, HER, MAT, OT	Dec 19, 2015	2nd	Finals	>
8.01	Indoor	55m	EMITL: BAN, BUC, FOX, HER, MAT, OT	Dec 19, 2015	1st	Prelims	>
28.77	Indoor	200m	EMITL: BAN, BUC, FOX, HER, MAT, OT	Dec 19, 2015	1st	Finals	>