St. Ignatius's The Eye: Volume LXXIX Number II

Since St. Ignatius High School's birth in 1886, we have had state championships in numerous sports as well as two national championships in football (and Crew, some say). At the 2004 Olympics, however, Ignatian success in sports rose to a new level, with alumnus Tim Mack bringing home a gold medal in the pole vault event. Mack, 32, is a native of Westlake and is a graduate of the class of 1990.
    After graduating Mack enrolled at Malone College in Canton, Ohio, where he was named the NAIA Track Athlete of the Year. With such promise, Mack transferred to the University of Tennessee in 1993. He won All- American Honors in 1994 and the Tim Mack '90 Wins Gold NCAA Indoor National Pole Vaulting Championship in 1995.
    Mack first tried to qualify for the Olympics in 2000, but failed. He placed 8th at the United States trials. He improved in the 2001 Goodwill Games winning the Pole Vault Competition. The improvement continued into 2002, where Mack again became the World Indoor Champion, this time on the professional level. In 2003 , Mack had a bit of a setback, finishing 6th in the World Outdoor Championship. He did not give up. In the Olympic Qualifying Trials, Mack finished first. He was headed for Athens, a significant accomplishment in of itself.
   At Athens, Mack literally "struck gold." Mack's calculated preparation and calm demeanor beat out the antics of air guitarist/horse rider Toby "Crash" Stevenson, setting an Olympic record with a vault of 19-6 ¼. Mack stunned everyone except for himself. His accomplishment was a true test of perseverance. He never gave up, and continued to work hard like a true Ignatius Man. For the next four years, Tim Mack stands alone as the world's best in pole waulting.