NCAA Women’s Triple Jump — Moore Avenges LJ Loss

Florida junior Jasmine Moore channeled emotion after the long jump to keep her TJ string alive. (KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT)

“I WAS A BIT ANGRY.” That was the simple explanation from Jasmine Moore, who had finished 3rd in a long jump where which she had been the formchart favorite.

Jumping second, the Florida junior began by popping a wind-aided 47-1¾ (14.37), a distance only one other collegiate jumper had bettered this year. That was Charisma Taylor’s 48-10 (14.88) in the recordsetting NCAA Indoor.

Jumping ninth, Ackelia Smith, Moore’s conqueror in the LJ two days earlier, opened at 46-8¼w (14.23), and Taylor followed with 45-8½ (13.93).

The stage was set for round 2. Moore was warmed up and ready. She hit the board properly and reached 48-6 (14.78) — a collegiate outdoor best exceeded on the collegiate all-time list only by her three big jumps at the Indoor.

Among Americans, only Keturah Orji 48-11½ (14.92) and Tori Franklin 48-9 (14.86) have better outdoor marks. Of course, Moore’s résumé includes those 49-7¼ (15.12), 49-5¾ (15.08) and 48-9 (14.86) indoor leaps.

“My body felt good,” said Moore, who was trying to win her fourth straight TJ title. “I wanted to do great. My technique was right on and I gave it my best. I hit a PR.”

Texas’s long jump champ Smith, a diminutive Jamaican, followed with 46-9w (14.25) and then a PR 47-8½ (14.54) in round 3.

She was excited and proud: “I love competing against Jasmine. We make each other better, I feel great because I contributed some more points for the team.” She averaged just over 46-11½ (14.31) on her six jumps, Moore 46-1½ (14.06).

Texas Tech’s Rūta Lasmane also tripled a career long by a centimeter — 46-7½ (14.21), albeit windy on her third jump and followed with a 46-7¼w (14.20) in the fourth frame.

Tennessee senior Taylor opened at 45-8½ (13.93) and held 3rd with that until Lasmane’s big effort in the third. The same fate followed USC’s Temitope Ojora as she opened at 44-9¾ (13.66) and held 4th until a busy third, wherein jumps by Texas Tech’s Anne-Suzanna Fosther-Katta and then Georgia’s Titiana Marsh pushed her down to 6th.


WOMEN’S TJ RESULTS

(June 10)

1. *Jasmine Moore (Fl) 48-6 (14.78) out PR (out CL) (x, =9 A; x, 6 C; 1, 1 NCAA) (MR)

(47-1¾w, 48-6, 47-1¾ [x, 3 NCAA], 46-10, 41-2½, 46-0w) (14.37w, 14.78, 14.37, 14.27, 12.56, 14.02w);

2. **Ackelia Smith’ (Tx-Jam) 47-8½ (14.54) PR (4, x C; 2, 2 NCAA)

(46-8¼w, 46-9w, 47-8½, 46-7¼w, 46-11w, 47-1¾w) (14.23w, 14.25w, 14.54, 14.20w, 14.30w, 14.37w);

3. *Rūta Lasmane’ (TxT-Lat) 46-7½w (14.21)

(45-3¾w, 44-10¼, 46-7½w, 46-7¼w, 46-0w, f) (13.81w, 13.67, 14.21w, 14.20w, 14.02w, f);

4. Charisma Taylor’ (Tn-Bah) 45-8½ (13.93)

(45-8½, f, 45-½w, 43-11¾, 44-2w, 45-1¾w) (13.93, f, 13.73w, 13.40, 13.46w, 13.76w);

5. Titiana Marsh (Ga) 44-10¼w (13.67)

(44-1½, 44-½w, 44-10¼w, 43-6½w, 42-5¼, 43-3¼) (13.45, 13.42w, 13.67w, 13.27w, 12.93, 13.19);

6. *Temitope Ojora’ (USC-GB) 44-9¾ (13.66)

(44-9¾, f, f, 42-8¾w, 44-7, 42-6¼) (13.66, f, f, 13.02w, 13.59, 12.96);

7. *Anne-Suzanna Fosther-Katta’ (TxT-Fra) 44-9¾w (13.66)

(38-¼w, 44-6¼, 44-9¾w, 44-4¾w, f, f) (11.59w, 13.57, 13.66w, 13.53w, f, f);

8. *Mikeisha Welcome’ (Ga-StV) 44-8¼w (13.62)

(43-3¾, 44-8¼w, f, 43-10, 43-11¼w, 42-9) (13.20, 13.62w, f, 13.36, 13.39w, 13.03);

9. Jaimie Robinson (OhSt) 44-3½w (13.50); 10. *Asherah Collins (UCF) 44-2¾ (13.48) PR; 11. *Simone Johnson (SDi) 44-½ (13.42) PR; 12. **Euphenie Andre (Mo) 43-11¼ (13.39) PR; 13. **Rhianna Phipps’ (Nb-Jam) 43-9¾w (13.35); 14. **Emilia Sjöstrand’ (SJSt-Swe) 43-7¾w (13.30); 15. *Cierra Pyles (VaT) 43-5¼w (13.24); 16. *Onaara Obamuwagun’ (TxT-Ngr) 42-11¾w (13.10); 17. *Koi Johnson (Bay) 42-11w (13.08); 18. *Asha Fletcher (Cal) 42-10¼ (13.06); 19. *Ryann Porter (InSt) 42-9 (13.03); 20. Jada Branch (App) 42-6¾ (12.97); 21. *Ashley Moore (Mia) 41-6½w (12.66); 22. *Christina Warren (AzSt) 41-1w (12.52); 23. Marquasha Myers (Mia) 40-2 (12.24);… 3f—**Eunice Ilunga Mbuyi’ (LaM-Fra).

(best-ever mark-for-NCAA-place: 1-2, 10; 3, 8–9w)