Five Questions with Erik Kynard

Published by Daily Relay on March 4, 2014

We caught up with high jumper Erik Kynard, who recently won his first USATF indoor championship. Erik is a two-time NCAA champion, the defending USATF outdoor champion, and the 2012 Olympic silver medalist. He will be competing for Team USA at this weekend’s World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland. You can follow him on Twitter at @Erik_Kynard.

Daily Relay: This is your first full season competing as a professional for Nike. What is different now that you’re no longer competing for Kansas State and what is the same? Are you still in Manhattan, Kansas?

Erik Kynard: Although this is my first full season competing as a professional, the approach to the season is no different though it’s on a time delay. The professional circuit begins much later than the collegiate season so I was feeling as though I had been behind in my preparation but all is well. I’m still based in Manhattan, Kansas living the dream.

Daily Relay: How do you feel about your 2013 season? You jumped higher and jumped high more often than ever before, but ran into some very tough competition and didn’t win as much hardware as in 2012. What were your high and low points?

Erik Kynard: My 2013 season went well although I was not fully satisfied with its outcome, come to think about it I’m never fully satisfied. It was great to compete at a high level on such a consistent basis, which was my higher point of the year.

Towards the end of the season I ran into some minor health issues that were more of a snag than I would’ve liked, more specifically at the World Championships. I’m all systems go for this 2014 season.