Todd finding happiness being back in Arizona, training with Altis

Oregon graduate scheduled to race at Texas Relays, Sun Angel Classic and Mt. SAC Relays in April in preparation for USATF Outdoor Championships in Sacramento

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Jasmine Todd hasn’t competed outdoors in more than eight months, but the former Chandler AZ star and Oregon All-American confirmed she will open her season Saturday as part of a United States all-star team in the 4x100-meter relay at the 90th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

Todd, 23, who is training with Altis in Paradise Valley, Ariz., and coaching at Mountain Pointe High, attended Saturday’s elite session at the 77th NIKE Chandler Rotary Invitational and watched Agoura CA standout Tara Davis break her meet record of 20 feet, 1.5 inches in the long jump with a mark of 20-10 and come within one inch of taking down her 41-5 triple jump standard as well.

“Coming back home and finding a home at Altis, I couldn’t ask for more. I thank Andreas (Behm) and Stu (McMillan) all the time for having me there. They do an excellent job of recruiting and I absolutely love it,” Todd said. “Since I’m coaching here at Mountain Pointe, when I come to these track meets, I’m like ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t wait.’ And then I went to the first meet at ASU watching my teammates run, I was just so amped up, so I’m so excited to get this season started.”

Todd, who competed in the 100-meter dash and long jump at the U.S. Olympic Trials after her career concluded at Oregon, competed in a 60-meter indoor race in Flagstaff in February but has remained patient for her outdoor schedule to begin.

She is also expected to run April 8 at the 38th Sun Angel Classic at Arizona State, along with April 15 at the 59th Mt. SAC Relays at El Camino College in Torrance, Calif., as preparation for the USATF Outdoor Championships, scheduled for June 22-25 in Sacramento. Todd is trying to return to the IAAF World Championships in August in London.

“It’s definitely a day at a time, a workout at a time, but I definitely have Sacramento in mind. Every athlete better have those goals of ‘I’m trying to make this world team,’ so that’s absolutely the main goal,” said Todd, who earned a silver medal with the U.S. 4x100 relay at the 2015 World Championships.

“But while I’m doing it, I’m just trying to enjoy the process and make sure I get through it healthy and the times will come with happiness. Everything that I went through last year was a lot for me.”