LONG BEACH, California, June 29—While the track world was focused on previewing the next day’s Prefontaine Classic, some of history’s greatest jumping took place at the Bush Invitational/SoCal USATF Championships. Competing in only his second meet of the year, 3-time Olympic medalist Will Claye unleashed a mighty 59-6¼ (18.14) to become the No. 3 triple jumper in history, trailing only World Record holder Jonathan Edwards and American Record holder Christian Taylor.
The historic leap came on his second attempt, after he opened up with a foul. About 90 minutes earlier he had won the long jump at 26-11¼ (8.21), his best since the ’12 Olympic Trials. He explained, “I didn’t get to do any practice approaches for the triple jump. As I was warming up in between the long jump and the triple jump, they shut the runway down. My coach was like, ‘Just use your first jump as a practice runthrough. So I went through and I ended up taking a foul and then from there I moved back a bit.”
That’s when the monster jump came. After that, 4 more fouls. “I wanted to go farther. I felt like the 18.14, it just felt effortless. And I think I just started trying harder. That was what had me fouling.” All of them toe fouls, so Claye knew he was close. After the big one, he moved his steps back a foot; “I just knew I was going to bring it. I moved a bit more on the other jumps.”
Overall, Claye’s double rates as the best ever at low altitude, bettering Mike Conley’s 27-1¾/56-10¾ (8.22/17.40) at the ’86 USATF Indoor. Jumping in the thin air of El Paso, Erick Walder did 28-8/56-2 (8.74/17.12) in ’94.
Brittney Reese also felt the magic of the runway, hitting a U.S.-leading 22-9¾ (6.95) on her final attempt to win the women’s long jump.
BUSH INVITATIONAL MEN’S RESULTS
SoCal USATF; Long Beach, California, June 29—
100(1.8): 1. Just’N Thymes (US) 10.24; 2. Ameer Webb (US) 10.29.
200(0.5): 1. Thymes 20.37 PR; 2. Kyree King (US) 20.57; 3. Ge Bie (Chn) 20.75.
400: 1. Gil Roberts (US) 45.77.
110H(1.7): 1. Aaron Mallett (US) 13.48; 2. Thingalaya Siddhanth (Ind) 13.58; 3. Max Hairston (US) 13.62; 4. Jordan Charles (US) 13.69 PR.
400H: 1. CJ Allen (US) 50.14; 2. Jehue Gordon (Tri) 50.78.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Jamal Wilson (Bah) 7-2½ (2.20).
LJ: 1. Will Claye (US) 26-11¼ (8.21) (lo-alt AL) (longest since ’12) (f, 26-3, 25-11, 26-11¼w, 26-4½, 26-11¼) (f, 8.00, 7.90, 8.21w, 8.04, 8.21)
2. Greg Vann (US) 26-1½w (7.96) (25-8/7.82); 3. Kyle Darrow (US) 25-11½w (7.91) (25-7¼/7.80); 4. Will Williams (US) 25-10¾ (7.89).
TJ: 1. Claye 59-6¼ (18.14) PR (WL, AL) (3, 4 W; 2, 2 A) (f, 59-6¼, f, f, f, f) (f, 18.14, f, f, f, f) (best lo-alt 1-day double ever);
2. Chris Benard (US) 54-10 (16.71); 3. Scotty Newton (US) 52-11½ (16.14).
SP: 1. Jon Jones (US) 70-7 (21.51) PR (68-1½, 70-7, 68-8½, 68-½, f, 69-1¼) (20.76, 21.51, 20.94, 20.74, f, 21.06);
2. Josh Awotunde (US) 66-½ (20.13); 3. Garrett Appier (US) 65-5½ (19.95).
DT: 1. Brian Williams (US) 210-8 (64.21); 2. Colin Quirke (Ire) 197-1 (60.09) PR; 3. Jason Harrell (US) 193-1 (58.85); 4. Jayson Kovar (US) 190-6 (58.06); 5. Kole Weldon (US) 190-4 (58.01).
HT: 1. Alex Young (US) 250-7 (76.39) PR (250-7, f, 233-5, 242-2, 244-11, f) (76.39, f, 71.15, 73.82, 74.66, f); 2. Colin Dunbar (US) 236-5 (72.07); 3. Daniel Roberts (US) 235-0 (71.62); 4. Erick Loomis (US) 228-6 (69.66) PR; 5. Justin Stafford (US) 215-7 (65.73).
BUSH WOMEN’S RESULTS
100(1.2): 1. Brianna McNeal (US) 11.20; 2. Courtne Davis (US) 11.30 PR; 3. Ashley Henderson (US) 11.41; 4. Mikiah Brisco (US) 11.45.
200(2.1): 1. Jaide Stepter (US) 22.94w; 2. Davis 22.97w; 3. Henderson 23.06w; 4. Brisco 23.24w.
400: 1. Stepter 52.45; 2. Jasmine Blocker (US) 52.91.
800: 1. Chanelle Price (US) 2:03.16; 2. Jenna Hinkle (US) 2:06.68 PR; 3. Raquel Lambdin (US) 2:06.72.
100H(-0.1): 1. Brianna McNeal (US) 12.71; 2. Queen Harrison (US) 12.76; 3. Tiffani McReynolds (US) 12.94; 4. Kristi Castlin (US) 13.06; 5. Bridgette Owens (US) 13.15; 6. Chari Hawkins (US) 13.17 PR; 7. Erica Bougard (US) 13.31.
400H: 1. Gianna Woodruff (Pan) 56.81; 2. Nnenya Hailey (US) 58.21.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Amber Melville (US) 5-10¾ (1.80).
PV: 1. Megan Clark (US) 14-1¼ (4.30).
LJ: 1. Brittney Reese (US) 22-9¾ (6.95) (AL) (22-5¾, f, 20-11¾, f, f, 22-9¾) (6.85, f, 6.39, f, f, 6.95);
2. Christabel Nettey (Can) 21-4¾w (6.52) (21-3¼/6.48); 3. Malaina Payton (US) 21-1½ (6.44); 4. Kylie Price (US) 21-1¼w (6.43) (20-11¾/6.39); 5. Erica Bougard (US) 20-8½ (6.31); 6. Chari Hawkins (US) 20-7¾ (6.29) PR.
SP: 1. Jessica Woodard (US) 59-3 (18.06); 2. Lena Giger (US) 55-7 (16.94).
DT: 1. Whitney Ashley (US) 208-9 (63.64); 2. Kelsey Card (US) 202-4 (61.68); 3. Alex Collatz-Sellens (US) 193-5 (58.96); 4. Jeré Summers (US) 187-5 (57.14); 5. Rachel Dincoff (US) 183-4 (55.89).
HT: 1. Kayla Kovar (US) 198-4 (60.45).
