Photo courtesy of Paula Moll
THE TWIN TAKEOVER
MAGIC IN OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON By Tim Reilly
There are so many remarkable athlete stories in track clubs across America, but a really special one is unfolding in Olympia, Washington. Meet Hana and Amanda Moll, the most exciting high school track and field twins since pole vaulters Lexi and Tori Weeks led the nation in 2015. The Molls may run the table on U.S. pole vault records before they graduate, but there is more to love than this.
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Their first track coach, a multis specialist named Mike Strong from Olympia, sent them to me to try
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vaulting about midway through their 7th grade year, as he has done with his other star decathletes. My first impression was that they were as cute as little people could be, joyfully enthused to play at something new. By the end of the first lesson, I could see rare aptitudes that would take them high and fast. Though Coach Mike still trains them for the heptathlon, he could quickly see as well that they would specialize with me by freshman year. In their 8th grade summer, they placed first and third at the 2019 USATF National Junior
