![]() Pena on 28 April 2012 | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Los Alamitos, California | 30 July 1987
Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
Weight | 126 lb (57 kg) |
Sport | |
Country | ![]() |
Sport | Athletics |
Event | Pole Vault |
Achievements and titles | |
Personal best | 4.60 m (2013) |
Victoria "Tori" Peña [1] (born 30 July 1987 [2]) is a pole vaulter with dual American and Irish citizenship who competes for Ireland in IAAF competition. [1] [3]
Peña was born in Los Alamitos, California. [2] Her father's family are of Mexican extraction, and her maternal grandmother Angela McCoy (née Coyle) was born in Derry. [1] Peña lives in Huntington Beach, where she graduated from Edison High School. [2] [4] In 2003, she competed in Killarney at the World Irish Dancing Championships. [1] She earned a degree in International Development Studies [1] from the University of California, Los Angeles, and competed for the UCLA Bruins, [2] although frequently hampered by injuries. [5] Her Irish grandmother made her eligible for Irish citizenship, [3] and in June 2010 she acquired dual citizenship, declared her intention to compete for Ireland, and registered with Finn Valley Athletic Club in County Donegal. [1]
Peña's personal best of 4.35 metres (14 ft 3+1⁄2 in) was set shortly before she had acquired Irish citizenship, but was sufficient to qualify for the pole vault at the European Athletics championships in Barcelona. [1] In July 2010 won the Irish national championships at Morton Stadium with an Irish record of 4.15 metres (13 ft 7+1⁄2 in), [3] which she equalled in Barcelona. [6] At the 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships she set an Irish indoor record of 4.35 metres (14 ft 3+1⁄2 in), [7] which she increased to 4.45 metres (14 ft 7 in) in 2012. [8] [9] At the San Diego Triton Invitational on 27 April 2012 she set an outdoor Irish record of 4.52 metres (14 ft 10 in). [10] This qualified her for the 2012 Olympics, in the qualifying round of which she failed at the opening height of 4.10 metres (13 ft 5+1⁄2 in). [11]
![]() Pena on 28 April 2012 | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Los Alamitos, California | 30 July 1987
Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
Weight | 126 lb (57 kg) |
Sport | |
Country | ![]() |
Sport | Athletics |
Event | Pole Vault |
Achievements and titles | |
Personal best | 4.60 m (2013) |
Victoria "Tori" Peña [1] (born 30 July 1987 [2]) is a pole vaulter with dual American and Irish citizenship who competes for Ireland in IAAF competition. [1] [3]
Peña was born in Los Alamitos, California. [2] Her father's family are of Mexican extraction, and her maternal grandmother Angela McCoy (née Coyle) was born in Derry. [1] Peña lives in Huntington Beach, where she graduated from Edison High School. [2] [4] In 2003, she competed in Killarney at the World Irish Dancing Championships. [1] She earned a degree in International Development Studies [1] from the University of California, Los Angeles, and competed for the UCLA Bruins, [2] although frequently hampered by injuries. [5] Her Irish grandmother made her eligible for Irish citizenship, [3] and in June 2010 she acquired dual citizenship, declared her intention to compete for Ireland, and registered with Finn Valley Athletic Club in County Donegal. [1]
Peña's personal best of 4.35 metres (14 ft 3+1⁄2 in) was set shortly before she had acquired Irish citizenship, but was sufficient to qualify for the pole vault at the European Athletics championships in Barcelona. [1] In July 2010 won the Irish national championships at Morton Stadium with an Irish record of 4.15 metres (13 ft 7+1⁄2 in), [3] which she equalled in Barcelona. [6] At the 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships she set an Irish indoor record of 4.35 metres (14 ft 3+1⁄2 in), [7] which she increased to 4.45 metres (14 ft 7 in) in 2012. [8] [9] At the San Diego Triton Invitational on 27 April 2012 she set an outdoor Irish record of 4.52 metres (14 ft 10 in). [10] This qualified her for the 2012 Olympics, in the qualifying round of which she failed at the opening height of 4.10 metres (13 ft 5+1⁄2 in). [11]