[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 124 (Friday, October 6, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1696]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL WINNER STACY DRAGILA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN T. DOOLITTLE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 5, 2000

  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize a native of my 
congressional district who has brought glory and honor to herself, her 
family, and her fellow Americans. I wish to congratulate Stacy Dragila 
on recently winning the gold medal in the first-ever Olympic Women's 
Pole Vault Competition.
  Dragila grew up in Auburn, California, where she competed in goat 
roping as a child. As a heptathlete during her years on Placer High 
School's track and field team, she had little idea that she would one 
day stand atop the Olympic medals podium as a pole vault champion. You 
see, when she was in high school, the pole vault was an event in which 
only male competitors took part.
  As the women's pole vault has finally taken root in the United 
States, Stacy has quickly established herself as the premier athlete in 
her field. Each time she reaches a new personal best mark, she rewrites 
the world record. In fact, while competing on her home turf at this 
summer's U.S. Olympic Trials in Sacramento, she set the current world 
record 15'2\1/4\". By continually raising the bar, Stacy has forced her 
competitors to push their own limits as well. This resulted in an 
exciting duel at this month's Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. In 
the end, Dragila brought home the gold with a vault of 15'1".
  At the age of 29, Stacy Dragila stands as an Olympic champion and as 
an American hero. Furthermore, as a pioneer in a new sport, she stands 
as a role model for those young women who will strive to match her 
achievements on the field. Perhaps most importantly, however, she is, 
by all accounts, a world-class person as well as a world-class athlete. 
Today, I proudly join with Americans everywhere in saluting gold 
medalist Stacy Dragila.

                          ____________________