Olaf Brockmann I was sent this piece a few weeks ago and misplaced it on my travels. Olaf is one of the elder statesmen of the sports journalism profession. A brilliant writer, Olaf has covered our sport’s biggest events since the 1970s. We thank him for his presentation.
THE NATIONAL CHANGE OF LILLY CARLSON FIX
- HUGE TALENTS FOR AUSTRIA!
Liliana Carlson, one of the world’s most promising pole vaulting talents is now eligible to compete for Austrian athletics. The 19-year-old has dual citizenship (USA and Austria). Previously registered at World Athletics for USA, then decided to compete for Austria. His father is Austrian, so the transition from the US to Austria was simple. World Athletics confirmed the nationality change on its website this Thursday.
ALREADY higher than KIRA GRUNBERG
ALREADY ON THE ÖLV TOP LIST
Lili Karlsson’s jump of 4.47 m cannot be recognized as an Austrian record because she did not pass a doping test. At the time, he could not have known that he was eligible to compete for Austria. However, the Austrian Athletics Federation (ÖLV) has already included this performance in its rankings, as the jump was within the rules, albeit with the note “Not an Austrian record”. The ÖLV database already lists Liliana Anika Carlsson as competing for ATSV Innsbruck. Lily Carlson’s best outdoor jump from last year is 4.27m.
Lily Carlson will compete in the Don Kirby Invite in Albuquerque this coming Saturday. There she will face a world-class field headlined by 2016 Rio Olympic champion Ekaterina Stefanidi (GRE) and Amanda Mol (USA). Both have a personal best of 4.91 meters. Perhaps Lili Karlsson will even break the Austrian record in this high-level competition. As a precautionary measure, ÖLV General Secretary Helmut Baudis has already contacted USADA through NADA Austria, who will support Lili Karlsson in the event of a doping test.
At just 19, the World Indoor Championships in Torun (March 20-22) are likely to come too soon for Lili Carlson. However, World Athletics already ranks 17th on the “Road to Kujawi Pomorzi”. 12 athletes have the right to participate in the World Championship to be held in Poland. The qualifying standard is 4.70 meters.
ÖLV STRIVE FOR SUCCESS
In recent months, Helmut Baudis and more recently Christian Taylor have worked hard to secure Karlsson’s change of nationality. The pole vaulter, now eligible to compete for the Austrian Athletics Federation (ÖLV), is studying in Texas and, incidentally, shares an apartment with Magdalena Rauter, who won silver in the pole vault at the U20 World Championships in Lima.
Moved to the US at the age of seven
Carlson is the daughter of an Austrian father and an American mother. He was born in Vienna and spent the first seven years of his life in Austria. According to the Austrian Athletics Federation (ÖLV), his brother Michael Karlsson also trained for several weeks in Vienna-Stadlau in 2022 and competed at the Austrian Under-20 Championships, where he finished third in the 110m hurdles with a time of 15.27 seconds. However, he decided not to continue his track and field career. The report continues. “Even then she was talking about her younger sister who was a great pole vaulter . . .”
Lily Carlson. best pole vault performances
4.47i (1) College Station TX 02/07/2026
4.41i (1) Lubbock TX 01/16/2026
4.27 (1-HS) Shippensburg PA 05/24/2025
4.27i (2) College Station TX 12/06/2025
4.27i (2) College Station TX 01/24/2026
4.26 (1-HS) Shippensburg PA 05/17/2025
4.22i (1-HS) Lewisburg PA 02/22/2025
4.20i (2-HS) Brigthon MA March 15, 2025
4.14i (1-HS) Bethlehem PA 02/08/2025
4.11i (1-HS) Virginia Beach VA 01/19/2025
Austrian Athletics Federation (ÖLV) All-Time Greatest Pole Vault
4.47 (1) Lilyana Carlson College Station 07/02/2026 *
4.45 (15q) Kira Grünberg Prague March 6, 2015
4.44 (2) Doris Auer Glasgow March 18, 2001
4.20 (4) Magdalena Rauter Magglingen 01/25/2025
4.12 (1) Daniela Höllwarth Linz 25.02.2012
4.12 (1) Agnes Bretzenberger Innsbruck June 4, 2017
4.11 (2) Brigitta Pöll Vienna 28.01.2017
4.10 (1) Lisa Gruber Linz 16.012024
4.03 (1) Monika Erlach Norman February 27, 1999
3.92 (3) Carmen Klausbruckner Aulnay-sous-Bois 08.12.2006
* Note from the Austrian Athletics Federation (ÖLV). Not an Austrian record
The reason: lack of doping control
Story by Olaf Brockman
Editor’s Note: time Don Kirby Invite On February 13-14, Liliana Carlson was 10th at 4.25m (13’11.25″).
On February 20, 2026 h Arkansas Qualifiers, Liliana placed 3rd at 4.15m (13’7.25in).
time SEC Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsLiliana finished in a tie for 11th at 4.00 meters or 13’1.5 inches.
Liliana’s season bests were 4.47m (14’8″), jumped Charlie Thomas BU Invite February 7th. Lily is one of the top freshman pole vaulters in the country, according to that meet.
