AFTER HER SUCCESSFUL defense of her long jump title, Ackelia Smith of Texas wanted to go one better and finally win the triple jump crown after placing 2nd last year. Undefeated in the outdoor season, the Jamaican was our formchart favorite, despite being only No. 4 on the in/out list this season.
The last jumper in the early rounds, Smith began her day with a 46-4¼ (14.13). Among her competitors, only Indoor champ Rūta Lasmane of Texas Tech had ever gone farther (PR 47-5¾/14.47), but she had struggled to come near that during the outdoor campaign.
It was San José State’s Emilia Sjöstrand who grabbed the second-spot initially, the Swede hitting 45-6¼ (13.87) on her first. Darja Sopova of Illinois sat in 3rd at 45-¼ (13.72). In round 2, Sjöstrand bounced 45-5¾ (13.86) and Smith followed with a 45-1¼ (14.00). In round 3, Sopova improved to 45-5¼ (13.85), while Sjöstrand fouled and Smith passed.
Heading into the finals, Lasmane had a best of just 44-3½ (13.50) in 6th place. With fouls on 4 of her attempts, she would not improve.
With her key challengers fouling in round 4, Smith launched herself to her best effort of the day, bounding out to a near-PR 47-7¾ (14.52) to extend her lead to more than 2-feet. She passed round 5, where no one else improved. In the final stanza, Sopova improved to 45-11¾ (14.01) to move into 2nd. Sjöstrand ended up with a foul. Then Smith closed her day with another strong effort at 47-7 (14.50).
It was only the fifth time in NCAA history that a woman pulled off the horizontal jump double. The others: Sheila Hudson of Cal (’90), Kim Williams of Florida State (’09), Keturah Orji of Georgia (’18) and Jasmine Moore of Florida (’22).
“For the first jump I went out there and told myself that, ‘Hey, you’re here to compete, I’m trying to get a personal best.’ I did not get that,” she said, laughing, “but it was close enough.
“I really wanted to end it with a bang and I’m glad I got it out of the way.”
She said her performance in the triple was better than what she had done two days earlier in the long jump. “I think I got a little bit comfortable on Thursday, so I wasn’t pushing as much. Today I made sure that didn’t happen, and I put a little bit more edge on it. It paid off, that’s for sure.”
WOMEN’S TRIPLE JUMP RESULTS
(June 08)
1. *Ackelia Smith’ (Tx-Jam) 47-7¾ (14.52)
(46-4¼, 45-11¼, p, 47-7¾, p, 47-7) (14.13, 14.00, p, 14.52, p, 14.50);
2. *Darja Sopova’ (Il-Lat) 45-11¾ (14.01) PR
(45-¼, f, 45-5¼, f, f, 45-11¾) (13.72, f, 13.85, f, f, 14.01);
3. *Emilia Sjöstrand’ (SJSt-Swe) 45-6¼ (13.87)
(45-6¼, 45-5¾, f, f, 44-6¼, f) (13.87, 13.86, f, f, 13.57, f);
4. Anne-Suzanna Fosther-Katta’ (TxT-Fra) 44-10¾ (13.68)
(44-6, f, f, 44-5½, 43-9¼, 44-10¾) (13.56, f, f, 13.55, 13.34, 13.68);
5. Mikeisha Welcome’ (Ga-StV) 44-9½ (13.65)
(44-1¼, 43-11¾, f, 44-3¼, f, 44-9½) (13.44, 13.40, f, 13.49, f, 13.65);
6. Temitope Ojora’ (USC-GB) 44-4 (13.51)
(f, 43-7, 42-¾, f, 43-8½, 44-4) (f, 13.28, 12.82, f, 13.32, 13.51);
7. *Eunice Ilunga Mbuyi’ (LaM-Fra) 44-3½ (13.50)
(f, 44-3½, f, f, 42-7, 43-5¼) (f, 13.50, f, f, 12.98, 13.24);
8. Rūta Lasmane’ (TxT-Lat) 44-3½ (13.50)
(f, 44-3½, f, 42-11¾, f, f) (f, 13.50, f, 13.10, f, f);
9. *Shantae Foreman’ (Clem-Jam) 43-7¾ (13.30)
(f, 43-7¾, 43-½, 42-¾, 42-8, f) (f, 13.30, 13.12, 12.82, 13.00, f);
10. Ashley McElmurry (Nb) 43-5 (13.23); 11. ***Diarra Sow’ (Mn-Ita) 43-3¼ (13.19); 12. **Winny Bii’ (OkSt-Ken) 43-¼w (13.11); 13. Asherah Collins (UCF) 42-10¾ (13.07); 14. *Rhianna Phipps’ (Nb-Jam) 42-8¼ (13.01); 15. Morgan Smalls (LSU) 42-6¼ (12.96); 16. *Christina Warren (Mia) 42-6¼ (12.96); 17. ***Taylor Fingers (LSU) 42-5¼ (12.93); 18. *Riley Ammenhauser (Mi) 42-4 (12.90); 19. *Esther Solarin (Young) 42-3¼ (12.88); 20. **Georgina Scoot’ (Prin-GB) 41-10½ (12.76); 21. **Xiamara Young (SDi) 41-8 (12.70); 22. *Jada Joseph (Brown) 41-1½ (12.53); 23. ***Grace Oshiokpu’ (TxT-Ngr) 40-2¾ (12.26); 24. Makenzy Mizera (Lib) 39-11½ (12.18).
