Mountlake Terrace resident pulls out of world pole vault

BERLIN — American pole vaulter Brad Walker, of Mountlake Terrace, won’t defend his title at the world championships, withdrawing from the competition Thursday with a pelvic injury.

Walker was hurt on July 28 at a meet in Monaco when he landed awkwardly on the mat, causing his hip to hit the ground. The tumble resulted in trauma to his pelvis.

Walker’s agent, Peter Stubbs, said that when Walker runs “it causes movement of the joint and extreme pain.”

Walker won the pole vault at the 2007 worlds in Osaka, Japan.