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Local Pole Vaulter Reaches New Heights

Tuesday, 9 June 2015 at 06:13

Karleigh Parker of Woodstock will be representing Canada at the FISU University Games.

A pole vaulter from Woodstock is taking her talents to South Korea this summer to represent Canada at the FISU University Games. 

Karleigh Parker just graduated from Western Kentucky University in the United States in May. Parker is back home for the summer and spends a lot of her time training in Toronto while living at home in The Friendly City. She explains how she got involved in the sport of pole vaulting while she was attending CASS. "My grade 9 hockey coach actually - she was one of the track and field coaches at College Ave and she, I guess, saw some talent in me and asked me to come out. Before then I was long jumper, sprinter, javelin thrower so it just kind of fell upon me and I said you know what I may as well try it, it looks fun."

Some of the best athletes in the world will be competing at the University Games and Parker is hoping to find a place on the podium. In order to compete at this event you must be attending university or just completing university like Parker. Parker is also going to be carrying the torch for the Pan Am games in June when the torch runs through Stratford. 

Parker does spend most of her time training as she is trying to make the 2016 Olympics and is looking for some fundraising help to let her follow her dream. It is very expensive to train without any money coming in, and she is still living with her parents and travelling to Toronto every day to get the time in. You can see her story online here https://www.pursu.it/pursuit/campaign/128 

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