Presenting our newest feature: The Future Stars Series. In this series, we'll take a look at one freshman or sophomore a week that is making a big impact early in their career, and is showing that they are a star in the making.
East Burke sophomore Kenneth Byrd is this week's featured North Carolina future star! Byrd already holds tons of accolades during his brief high school career. He took home the 2021 NCHSAA 2A Outdoor Track and Field championship in pole vault, jumping a NC No. 1 mark of 15-0.
He currently sits NC No. 1 this indoor season with a 15-4 leap from Mondo Elite High School Invitational. It is NC Sophomore No. 2 and overall No. 17 all-time. He also sits US Sophomore No. 1 this season.
He doesn't just stick to pole vault by any means, as Byrd is a very talented jumper. He was runner-up at the 2021 NCHSAA 2A Outdoor Track and Field championship in high jump, and his personal best of 6-4 was NC Freshman No. 1 last season. His jump is also good for NC Freshman T-No. 7 all-time. Additionally, he landed NC Freshman No. 4 in the triple jump last season.
Read all about our North Carolina Future Stars!
U.S. Sophomore Pole Vault Rankings
| RANK | MARK | ATHLETE/TEAM | GRADE | MEET DATEPLACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15-4 | 2024 | ||
| 2 | 15-3 | 2024 | ||
| 3 | 15-1 | 2024 | ||
| 4 | 15-0 | 2024 | ||
| 5 | 14-6 | 2024 | ||
| 5 | 14-6 | 2024 | ||
| 5 | 14-6 | 2024 |
