An Olympian from Mississippi won a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in Rio using a pole manufactured in Fort Worth.
In 2014, American track and field athlete Sam Kendricks became the first American to to earn a medal in pole vaulting in 12 years. Fast forward to 2016, when Kendricks, 23, cleared the high bar at 19 feet and 2¼ inches.
The 16-foot-1-inch pole Kendrick used earned him a bronze medal.
"Everything was designed specifically for him," said UST-Essx founder Bruce Caldwell. "It was amazing to see Kendricks and our pole at the Olympics. We were glued to our TV's watching him," said Caldwell.
Each pole has to be flexible and durable enough to withstand the inertia and body weight of the athlete. The poles, that are made with a mixture of fiber glass and carbon fiber, are tested before they leave Fort Worth.
"We have to make sure they can bend, and can pass the buckle test. There is a lot of engineering that goes into the design and build of the poles," said Beto Sanchez, who has been making the poles for the last 17 years.
Sam Kendricks is currently a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army reserve. He is the first military athlete on US Olympic team to receive a medal in Rio.
