BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (KCAU) – The World Athletic Championships wrapped up in Budapest on Sunday, and it’s easy to think of Kingsley-Pierson’s Kiana Phelps and Sioux City East’s Shelby Houlihan vying for medals. But it was South Dakota alum Chris Nilsen competing this year, tying for bronze in the pole vault on Saturday night.

The former Coyote vaulted a season-best height of 19 feet, 6.25 inches tying for third with Australia’s Kurtis Marschall. Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis defended his gold medal jumping 6.10 meters. As for Nilsen, he now has four international medals, adding to his silver at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, silver in the 2022 World Championships, and bronze from the 2022 World Indoor Championships.

The Kansas City native was a 3-time NCAA champion and 7-time All-American throughout a legendary career at South Dakota. He still owns UDS’s indoor and outdoor pole vault records.