Off to a Hot Start

Chloe Timberg is having a remarkable start to her collegiate career. As a freshman, she has set school records in the indoor and outdoor pole vault and earned a silver medal at the 2022 Big Ten Indoor Championships in the event.

Adversity struck when Timberg dealt with shin splints and stress reactions through the beginning of the indoor season. She persevered through the pain that limited her ability to practice and overcame those challenges to collect multiple accolades exemplifying her competitiveness.

Timberg is normally able to jump three or four times a week when she is without any pain. But the shin pain limited her to once or twice a week, which left her disappointed.

“It was discouraging to see myself limited to only be able to jump like once or twice a week,” said Timberg. “You see your competitors and, on the surface, they’re able to do everything and you feel left behind.”

Coming to Rutgers as a freshman this year, Timberg focused on carrying over her success from high school into college and keeping her competitive spirit.

“The main goal coming in was to keep building myself as a competitor and to get back to those higher heights,” said Timberg. “I was shooting for a specific height this year.”

In high school, Timberg recorded a 14’ 2” jump and she wanted to ensure that the heights she recorded were not on occasion and that she would be able to do it consistently at the collegiate level.

As a competitive athlete, Timberg flashed back to the successful times and personal best numbers she once hit.

“You hit that high mark in high school, and you are left sitting there wondering if you are ever going to hit that height again,” said Timberg.

Timberg always wanted to compete at the Division I level when she was in high school. When she declared to Rutgers, she was unsure how the season would go but she put her trust in the coaches and aligned her goals with theirs.

Before having an interest in pole vaulting, Timberg was a gymnast from five years old until eighth grade when she fell out of love with the sport. After seeing a pole-vaulting camp at her brother’s marching band competition, she immediately asked her mom if she could try it.

“So, the next summer I went to the same camp and started to learn the basics,” said Timberg. “Before I knew it, I was progressing fast and liked the track and field environment as well as the coaches.”

Timberg’s decision to begin pole vaulting proved to be a successful one setting the outdoor and indoor school records with heights of 4.53m (14' 10.25") and 4.33m (14' 2.5"), respectively. She tied the indoor record in the first meet of the season and then set the record on two occasions.

Timberg first set the outdoor school record at the season-opening UCF Black & Gold Invitational with a height of 4.40m (14' 5.25"). The performance was also a meet and facility record, earning Timberg a share of the Big Ten Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week honors. She then broke the school record again with a height of 4.53m (14' 10.25") at the UofSC Open.

Timberg is proud of the records she has set for Rutgers this early in her collegiate career but feels motivated to keep improving.

“I am proud to be a symbol of how Rutgers is progressing as a track and field program,” said Timberg. “Once you set that record you become hungrier, and it motivates you to keep working.”

The rookie became a silver medalist at the 2022 Big Ten Indoor Championships with a height of 4.22m (13' 10"), giving the Scarlet Knights four medals and 12 podium finishes at the conference meet. After earning silver, she was happy see her hard work come to fruition and know she could compete among the top veteran pole vaulters in the Big Ten.

“It’s a nice reminder to how hard I have worked this season and to see everything come together into this one big event is exciting to see,” said Timberg.

Timberg attributes her success to her coaches and the program that she has become a part of. She is happy with the support system the coaches provide for her and the team.

“A lot of it is just trusting the coaches and the vision they have for you and the program,” said Timberg. “If you put your faith in them and trust that they know what they are doing, you really start to see the results.”

The historic Penn Relays returned to the schedule this season after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In her debut appearance as a collegiate competitor, Timberg added another accolade to an already accomplished freshman season – Penn Relays Champion. She won the event, clearing a height of 4.13m (13’ 6.5”) as the field events dominated the weekend with four medals.

Along with Timberg’s success, the Rutgers track and field team is having an outstanding outdoor season setting various records and earning multiple event wins. Timberg attributes this to the mindset of the team and their competitive nature.

“This year the whole team has this new mindset of taking it personal when we go to a competition,” said Timberg. “We are going out there showing everyone that we can hold our ground.”

Although Timberg was able to earn silver, she still has more goals she wants to achieve in the remainder of the season with the Big Ten Championships and NCAA Preliminaries on the horizon.

These events will give Timberg the opportunity to qualify for nationals, a goal she was unable to achieve in the indoor season. Reaching that goal fuels her motivation this outdoor season and hopes to get the opportunity to compete on the national stage.

“Coming into the Big Ten Championship, I just want to carry the momentum forward,” said Timberg. “I’d like to keep my hopes and spirits up and just go out there and have fun.”

Timberg and the Scarlet Knights will have a chance to do just that when the team gears up for the 2022 Big Ten Outdoor Championships beginning on Friday, May 13 at Minnesota Track and Field Stadium.