Pole vaulter Glen Quayle dishes on his most important muscle & life on the Isle of Man
Glen Quayle is a medal-winning track star with a face for the camera.
Mark
Glen Quayle may only be 23 years old. But the medal-winning pole vaulter has already experienced multiple flavors of life.
Growing up on Isle of Man, a self-governing island between Great Britain and Ireland, Quayle was surrounded by lush green landscapes and remote rocky beaches. After a pit stop in England, he started his college career in South Dakota, where he encountered flat plains and conservative sensibilities.
Searching for sunnier pastures–literally and figuratively–Quayle transferred to Long Beach State. A quirky and vibrant shore town on the southern edge of L.A. County, Long Beach served as the perfect backdrop for the burgeoning fashionista to explore all aspects of his inner-self.
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Just a couple months removed from graduation, Quayle is planning a move to L.A., where he recently accepted a job at a print shop. The studio art major is eyeing a spot on the city’s bohemian east side.
It’s apparent that Quayle, who leaps over 16-foot poles for sport, approaches his life with vivacity.
“I think it’s the no fear factor from gymnastics,” he says. “Just going into it without worrying about anything.”
In addition to graduating with a degree, Quayle left campus with a bronze medal, which he secured at the conference championships. A long-time track and field standout, he spoke to Outsports in 2023 after he had competed at Commonwealth Games.
Though Quayle’s college career is over, he’s still mulling a future in athletics. In the meantime, Queerty recently caught up with him to chat about island life, his impressions of the U.S. and the trick to traveling with seven very long poles. Here’s what he had to say…
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QUEERTY: Isle of Man sounds like an enchanting place to grow up! What’s the most unique aspect of life there?
GLEN QUAYLE: That’s a great question! It definitely is unique in the sense that it’s like the U.K. and Ireland, but we’re separate. We have our own government, we have our own money, we have our own language. We have Manx cats, they’re cats born without tails. We have Loaghtan sheep [with four horns], they’re native to the island. Stuff like that! No one really speaks [Manx Gaelic], but it’s taught in schools. I think some people do speak it fluently. There is a radio channel for it.
What is one thing about being a pole vaulter that people don’t know about?
I don’t think people realize we travel with all our poles, and they do not fold down. People ask, “Do they fold down? Do they get microscopic?” No. Traveling with poles is a pain. I travel with seven for myself. We go through different poles throughout the competition, so you need to come prepared. We keep them in a really long bag, and put all the poles in one big. It’s not the most fun walk through the airport with poles, 16 feet [long]. It’s chaos!
What’s the most important muscle to use?
I don’t know about muscle necessary, but I think the most important factor is speed. So I guess your legs. The more speed you can bring, the bigger the pole you can get on, and ultimately the higher you can jump.
What are you thinking when you’re airborne?
When I’m airborne, it’s a blur! I close my eyes. It’s just second nature to me now, I think. I think about what I’m going to do before I jump. But as soon as I start jumping, it just happens.
You have so many great looks! Who are your fashion inspirations?
Right now, I really love Tyler the Creator, Billie Eilish. That kind of style. If I was gonna choose designers, I love Maison Margiela, Jonathan Anderson.
You first went to college in South Dakota. You’ve now spent the last couple of years in Greater L.A. Those are two very different places! What’s your impression of America?
I think the people in America are very kind and generous. They’re open and willing to help, which has been really nice. If I’ve ever needed anything, there’s always been someone to help me. Obviously, South Dakota wasn’t ideal politically for me, but I still made some great friends and great connections. But ultimately, Long Beach is more my speed!
I’m sure you saw the pole vaulting incident at the Olympics. What are some tips on how to avoid that?
Great question! I feel like it happens more than we think. That just happened on the biggest stage in the world, in HD TV! I would maybe say, use a smaller pole?
That’s a double entendre, Glen!
I know!
When you’re not training or pole vaulting, what do you like to do for fun?
I’m at the beach almost every day. So you’ll probably find me at the beach. Thrifting, looking for new clothes… always.
How do the beaches compare between the Isle of Man and Southern California?
I love the Isle of Man beaches because they’re so small and cute and… cold! The water is very cold, it’s a big difference. They’re also very pebbly, there aren’t many sandy beaches on the island. But still beautiful. L.A. beaches, it depends where you are. I would say my favorite beaches are Laguna, anywhere in [Orange County]. San Diego, those beaches are great. It’s a lot more bearable swimming out here!
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