Eugene, Oregon— Horn and NCAA National Championship bound are five words Panther fans have come accustomed to seeing be used together but this time Horn is plural. The Horns are NCAA National Championship bound. Sydney Horn is making her fourth straight trip to an NCAA Track & Field National Championship and this time she will have her older sister Mackenzie Horn by her side who will be making her first National Championship appearance. The Horn duo will be making the trip to Eugene together, for the first time.
The Horns are the first pole vaulting sister duo to compete at the same NCAA National Championships since the Weeks Twins from Arkansas. They are the lone sister duo headed to Eugene next week competing in the same event at the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships.
Unlike another famous sister, sister duo that resided in Detroit, Michigan, and weren't that much alike, the Horns from Lancaster, Pennsylvania are very much alike and have no problem with that at all. But just like Tia and Tamara, Sydney and Mackenzie are inseparable. Let's get to know the Horns before the duo heads to Eugene to represent HPU Track & Field in the pole vault at the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships.
Q: Describe your initial reaction when you realized you both made it and were going to the NCAA Championship together.
Sydney: I was very excited because we have been talking about this moment for a long time so for it actually to happen just seemed unreal.
Mackenzie: Honestly at first, I was in a little shock, like it didn't seem real. And I was like is this really happening, did we both just qualify? I was really excited and I am happy to get this experience with her. We have always talked about going together.
Q: What does it mean to you guys to be going together? For Sydney does having Mackenzie by your side and competing against and with her, this time make it more special?
Sydney: This trip to Oregon will definitely be more special especially with our parents coming. I love competing with Kenzie and is always a special moment.
Mackenzie: It means a lot, we are really close so getting to compete in something we both love at a high level together is very special. I think it will also be really special having our parents there. I think it will bring back lots of memories from high school meets.
Q: Who started pole vault first? Did you start together? How did you get into it?
Sydney: Kenzie started first, our 8th-grade teacher told us we should try it out because we were both gymnasts.
Mackenzie: I started first. I started during spring track in 10th grade. When I was in middle school my tech ed teacher mentioned he was the coach, and I should come to try it. At the time I still really loved gymnastics but eventually found myself at a practice in the pole vault group.
Q: Are one of you more obsessed with pole vault than the other or do you both love it about the same?
Sydney: I would say I like it more.
Mackenzie: Honestly I would probably say Sydney. Don't get me wrong I love it, Sydney just loves to be around it all the time like coaching alongside jumping.
* Going up a stick * (Speed Round Questions)
Q: Pre Meet Ritual?
Sydney: Getting ice cream the night before always and Kenzie braids my hair
Mackenzie: We get ice cream the night before. It started back in high school when we were at the state meet and stayed in the dorms at Shippensburg before competing. If you know Sydney, you know she has a big sweet tooth and is a picky eater. We were eating breakfast in the café at the school, and she didn't like anything there except for the donuts they had. She got one and ate it. We kept it on the down-low because we knew our coach probably wouldn't think that was not the best option. After we finished, I got first and she got second, competed well, and the coach asked what we had for breakfast and Sydney goes a donut. And ever since she always has some sort of sweet treat before competing. I also braid Sydney's hair before every meet.
Q: Favorite Movie?
Sydney: Home Alone
Mackenzie: Monsters Inc.
Q: Dream Vacation Spot?
Sydney: Sydney, Australia because it's my name haha.
Mackenzie: Scotland
Q: Favorite Food
Sydney: Ice Cream
Mackenzie: Fruit
Q: Favorite Restaurant
Sydney: Texas Roadhouse
Mackenzie: Texas Roadhouse
Q: First Concert?
Sydney: Zac Brown Band
Mackenzie: Zac Brown Band
Q: Favorite Olympian?
Sydney: Allyson Felix
Mackenzie: Simone Biles
Q: One thing you can't live without?
Sydney: My sister and my family.
Mackenzie: Sydney and my family
Q: Favorite thing you like about Sydney?
Mackenzie: How uncoordinated she is in the drills and her goofiness.
Q: Favorite thing you like about Mackenzie?
Sydney: She'll never let an injury stop her, she is a very hard worker.
The Horn sisters look to go high in Hayward on June 9th. Follow along on Flash Results or Watch. The women's pole vault starts at 9:00 PM eastern on Thursday, June 9th.
#DefendTheTeam x #GoHPU
