Mertes Jumps At Her Chance

You’ve heard the old saying, “Like father, like son.” In the case of Lori Mertes, it’s “Like father, like daughter.”

Richard Mertes, one of the state’s top high jumpers when he was a student at Canoga Park High in 1960, introduced his daughter to the event in 1984 when she was 11. In the two years since, she has improved by leaps and bounds.

After jumping 4-9 in 1984, the Northridge resident improved to 5-2 in 1985 and boosted her personal best to 5-6 this year.

Mertes, 13, also won two national age-group championships. On July 4, she set a meet record of 5-5 at the National Age-Group Track and Field Assn. of America championships in San Jose. Four weeks later, she went 5-6 to set another meet record at the National Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympics in Pomona.

Her success at the national level surprised the friendly, easygoing Mertes, who had jumped very little in the weeks preceding the nationals.

“I think I jumped well in nationals because I wasn’t tired from practice and I was relaxed,” she said. “I didn’t feel any pressure because I wasn’t expecting much.”

Since then, however, her expectations have risen considerably.

In 1988, she hopes to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials, when she will be only 15.

Mertes also hopes to beat rival Crissy Mills, 14, of Tarzana, who holds the national youth record of 5-8 1/2.

To that end, she will begin training in October with three-time Olympian Pam Spencer, a former American record-holder.

“She reminds me a lot of myself when I was younger,” Spencer said of Mertes. “She’s very strong. I think she’s capable of going a long way if she wants to.”