A PRELUDE TO THE long jump final occurred on the same Hayward Field runway in ’22. Synclair Savage, a Louisville frosh, qualified 9th with a 21-10 (6.65) best achieved by winning the ACC title. But in Eugene she fouled 3 times, dreams shattered.
Fast forward to ’25. Savage’s first time back at a TrackTown nationals. Savage entered the NCAA at No. 8 on the Q list with 21-9½ (6.64). She qualified for the final rounds with 21-6¾ (6.57) in round 1, improved to 21-7½w (6.59) in round 4, then fouled her fifth throw. Déjà vu?
“I went and sat on the bench,” the senior explained. “The start in the 200 distracted me a bit on No. 5. I told myself, ‘This is my final collegiate jump coming up.’ I thought about my bad indoor performance [3rd at ACC]. I closed my eyes and decided to focus really hard.”
She shocked everyone on jump No. 6: 22-¾ (6.72). Not only did she set a PR — the only one all day — and fly past the 22ft barrier, but she passed leader Alyssa Jones of Stanford by an inch (2cm).
“I was surprised and grateful,” said Savage, a Georgia native.
Not particularly surprised was Jones, who opened at 21-11¾ (6.70). “I was always a little worried,” the Cardinal junior said. “I tried to stay hungry. There were a lot of great jumpers, and I always knew Synclair was good.” Jones had beaten Synclair by 5 inches at the ACC.
Jones followed in round 3 with 21-10¼, but could go no farther in the finals.
Yearly list leader Alexis Brown of Baylor had attained that position with a PR 23-¾ (7.03) to win the Big 12. She opened slowly here with 20-7¾ (6.29) and 21-2¾ (6.47) before hitting the board nicely to move into 2nd in frame 3 when she spanned 21-9 (6.63). But in the finals she would sandwich a 21-7½ (6.59) jump between two fouls and was unable to pass Savage.
Illinois senior Tacoria Humphrey opened strongly with 21-8 (6.61 (3¾ inches off her seasonal best), and stayed there until going 21-8¾ on her sixth jump after Savage had passed her.
In an incredible situation, Florida’s Anthaya Charlton, came in at No. 3 on the formchart having leaped 22-4½ (6.82). She jumped first in her flight at 5:40pm, after PRing in a 100 semi at 5:25pm in 10.87.
“I was running round getting ready for the long jump and had to run the 100,” the Gator junior said. “It was crazy!”
WOMEN’S LONG JUMP RESULTS
FINAL (June 12)
1. Synclair Savage (Louis) 22-¾ (6.72) PR
(21-6¾, 21-2¾, f, 21-7½w, f, 22-¾) (6.57, 6.47, f, 6.59w, f, 6.72);
2. *Alyssa Jones (Stan) 21-11¾ (6.70)
(21-11¾, f, 21-10¼, 21-2¾, f, 21-6) (6.70, f, 6.66, 6.47, f, 6.55);
3. Alexis Brown (Bay) 21-9 (6.63)
(20-7¾, 21-2¾, 21-9, f, 21-7½, f) (6.29, 6.47, 6.63, f, 6.59, f);
4. Tacoria Humphrey (Il) 21-8¾ (6.62)
(21-8¼w, f, 20-9¼, f, 21-4¾, 21-8¾) (6.61w, f, 6.33, f, 6.52, 6.62);
5. *Anthaya Charlton’ (Fl-Bah) 21-7¼ (6.58)
(f, 21-7¼, f, f, f, f) (f, 6.58, f, f, f, f);
6. **Sophia Beckmon (Il) 21-3½ (6.49)
(f, f, 21-3½, f, 20-9¾, f) (f, f, 6.49, f, 6.34, f);
7. **Aaliyah Foster’ (Tx-Jam) 21-2¾w (6.47)
(20-4¼, 21-2¾w, 15-7¾, f, 19-7½, 20-3¾) (6.20, 6.47w, 4.77, f, 5.98, 6.19);
8. ***Prestina Ochonogor’ (Tarl-Ngr) 21-½ (6.41)
(20-7¼, 20-7¾, 21-½, 19-9, 13-8¾, 19-9¾) (6.28, 6.29, 6.41, 6.02, 4.18, 6.04);
9. **Mariia Horielova’ (Al-Ukr) 20-11¾ (6.39); 10. Jenica Bosko (Az) 20-7¾ (6.29); 11. *Georgina Scoot’ (Prin-GB) 20-4½ (6.21); 12. ***Janae De Gannes’ (Bay-Tri) 20-3½ (6.18); 13. **Marta Amani’ (Harv-Ita) 20-3 (6.17); 14. Sydney Johnson (UCLA) 20-2¼ (6.15); 15. Shalom Olotu (KsSt) 20-1¾ (6.14); 16. ***Alyssa Banales (Fl) 20-¼ (6.10); 17. Paige Floriea (Rut) 19-10¼ (6.05); 18. Imani Moore (GaSn) 19-9 (6.02); 19. Funminiyi Olajide’ (Ar-GB) 19-8¾ (6.01); 20. *Hailey Coey (MtSt) 19-8¼ (6.00); 21. *Julia Sue-Kam-Ling (Jack) 19-5¼w (5.92); 22. *Ella Scally (M/O) 19-5¼ (5.92); 23. ***Mariama Hunt (NCSt) 19-3¼ (5.87);… 3f—**Molly Wise (Rich).
