IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY that anyone could have foreseen the strange turn of events that emerged in the women’s long jump, an impressive field with 6 athletes coming in with marks over 22-feet.
The event began innocently enough as Quanesha Burks started off with the longest leap of the year by an American, 23-2 (7.06). That gave the 27-year-old Alabama alum a mark in excess of the WC standard (22-4½/6.82), and while it would hold up for the win, the jump was unfortunately aided by an over-the-limit wind reading of 2.7, rendering the 2-time NCAA champion’s mark as ineligible for WC qualification.
The remainder of Burks’ jumps were below the WC standard which she was desperately seeking. She still has a viable pathway to the Worlds via the WA ranking system.
Meanwhile, favored Tara Davis — who had been injured in March and revealed she could barely walk last week — was struggling with her own challenges, fouling on all three of her opening attempts and sending her to a shockingly quick exit. Had just one of her leaps been a fair jump of any distance, under the USATF protocol she would have remained in contention for the team.
A dearth of competitors with the Q-standard further tangled the situation. Coming in, only three athletes had one: Davis, NCAA champ Jasmine Moore and Monae’ Nichols.
Like Burks, Moore used an illegal first-round wind to reach 22-3¾w (6.80) and that stood up for 2nd the whole way. Tiffany Flynn (21-11½/6.69) and Nichols (21-7¼/6.58) got their best marks in round 3 to finish 3rd and 4th. Flynn has a shot at making the team through the WA rankings route.
Thrilled at broaching the 7-meter barrier, Burks said, “I knew that I was capable of doing it, just with how training has been going. I didn’t think it’d be the first one.”
WOMEN’S LONG JUMP RESULTS
(June 23; winds ranged from +3.9 to –1.7)
1. Quanesha Burks (unat) 23-2w (7.06) (a-c AL) (a-c: 10, x A)
(23-2w, 21-6¾, 21-7½, 21-10¾, 17-1½, 21-4¾) (7.06w, 6.57, 6.59, 6.67, 5.22, 6.52);
2. Jasmine Moore (Fl) 22-3¾w (6.80)
(22-3¾w, 21-7½, f, f, f, f) (6.80w, 6.59, f, f, f, f);
3. Tiffany Flynn (unat) 21-11½ (6.69)
(21-9w, 21-6, 21-11½, 21-3½, 21-1½, 21-8¾) (6.63w, 6.55, 6.69, 6.49, 6.44, 6.62);
4. Monae’ Nichols (TxT) 21-7¼ (6.58)
(21-4¾, f, 21-7¼, 20-11¾, f, 21-4¼) (6.52, f, 6.58, 6.39, f, 6.51);
5. Kate Hall (Asics) 21-4¾ (6.52)
(20-8½w, 21-4¾, 20-11¾, f, 21-¾, 20-5) (6.31w, 6.52, 6.39, f, 6.42, 6.22);
6. Sha’Keela Saunders (adi) 21-4¼ (6.51)
(20-9w, 21-4¼, 20-10½, f, f, 21-3¼) (6.32w, 6.51, 6.36, f, f, 6.48);
7. Claire Bryant (Fl) 21-4 (6.50)
(20-2½, 21-4, 20-8½, f, 16-5¼, 20-6½) (6.16, 6.50, 6.31, f, 5.01, 6.26);
8. Anna Hall (Fl) 21-¾ (6.42) =PR
(21-¾, f, 20-9, 19-10¼, 19-9¾, 20-5¾) (6.42, f, 6.32, 6.05, 6.04, 6.24);
9. Samiyah Samuels (unat) 20-10½ (6.36); 10. Rachel Hagans (Murray) 20-7¼ (6.28); 11. Rhesa Foster (unat) 20-7 (6.27); 12. Madisen Richards (unat) 20-6½ (6.26); 13. Anna Keefer (NC) 20-5¾ (6.24); 14. Jasmine Todd (Tracks) 20-3¾ (6.19); 15. Hannah Meek (CoCoSp) 19-9½ (6.03); 16. Makayla Jackson (Mank) 17-8 (5.38);… 3f—Sydney Conley (unat), Tara Davis (lulu). ◻︎