Long jumpers bubbling

Jamaican long jumpers have stolen the show on the United States collegiate circuit in the last week. Firstly, Shakwon Coke won his third National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) indoor title on March 4 and, on March 11, Wayne Pinnock led Olympian Carey McLeod in a Jamaican one-two at the NCAA Indoors. The results have left their high school coach Jeremy Delisser extremely happy.

Pinnock, the Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships Class One boys’ record holder at 8.05 metres, won by a centimetre over his University of Tennessee teammate McLeod, 7.92 to 7.91 metres. When his work was done at the Carifta Trials in Kingston, Delisser said: “I’m extremely happy with the result for both of them, to know that they passed through my hands and through Kingston College, and they’ve gone on and are doing well.”

Pinnock is in his first season representing the Tennessee Volunteers after injury made him jump sparingly in 2021.

The coach wasn’t concerned about the relatively short distances.

“I know that we’re looking for qualifiers for the big games later on this year,” he added in the knowledge that the qualifying mark for this year’s World Championships is 8.22 metres.

“I think where Wayne (Pinnock) is concerned, well for me, I’m satisfied because he had some injury concerns earlier in the season and to know that he competed and won, and as far as I’ve heard, he is okay, that’s the best thing for me. The distances will come once he stays healthy,” Delisser said during the Carifta Trials at the National Stadium. “And Carey, always happy for Carey. I think he’s building. He has experience, so I’m not worried about Carey. He’ll get there.”

A week earlier, Coke landed the gold medal for Barton County Community College. When Pinnock won the 2018 World Under-20 bronze medal, Coke was seventh. His next move will take him to the University of Arkansas to complete his education.

“When he goes to Arkansas, I expect him to be consistent at the next level, you know, because I think he is also one of the jumpers that is blessed and built for the event and, mentally, I think he is at the stage where he is ready to give it his all,” Delisser said.

McLeod, Coke and Pinnock have personal best distances of 8.34m, 8.16m and 8.08m, respectively.

World champion Tajay Gayle is an inspiration.

“Those guys that are in college, some of them jumped with him actually in his earlier days, so they look at him for inspiration and what he has done motivates them,” the Kingston College jumps expert reported.

“I think that they’re at the stage where they want to, not only join but eventually one day, beat him as well. So he motivates them in a positive way by what he has done, and I hope, for him, he will continue to do well which will help to push them as well,” said the coach who also serves Edwin Allen High School.