Jonathon Parks of Marshfield goes from devastating motorcycle accident to repeat pole vault champion in 5 months

“I was scared that I’d never be able to vault, but I pushed through the injury as hard as I could.”

By René Ferrán | Photos by Brynn Kleinke 

EUGENE — In the dead of winter, Jonathon Parks nearly extinguished his opportunity to defend his Class 4A pole vault state championship. 

Five months ago while riding his motorcycle, he hit a deer going approximately 70 mph. He was thrown from the bike, shattering his collarbone and breaking a wrist in the accident. 

Amazingly, he made it back for the start of Marshfield’s track season, but it wasn’t until the Oregon Relays at the end of April that he started approaching the heights he’d cleared during his title run.

Every time he takes the runway, he’s reminded of that fateful day. Parks wears a chain with his grandparents’ rings on it, and as he runs toward the box or soars through the air, they bounce around, occasionally hitting the scar that prominently runs along the collarbone.

“They’ll slap it, and I’ll just cringe,” he said.

Friday afternoon at Hayward Field, any painful cringes were erased and turned into joyful smiles after the Pirates junior successfully defended his title by clearing 15 feet on his initial attempt to beat teammate Trent Summers.

“It’s huge, because I didn’t think I’d be here,” Parks said. “I was scared that I’d never be able to vault, but I pushed through the injury as hard as I could.”

Parks took a moment to praise his senior teammate, who led in the competition on tiebreakers going to 15-0.

“This guy just keeps going, and I want to get in the hot tub so bad right now,” Parks said. “The entire lower half of the vault, he is way better than me. The only thing I beat him at is the upper part.

“But I wouldn’t have gone that high if he wouldn’t have pushed me. He’s been through everything with me, and he’s the one who helped me get this far.”