Mansfield Lake Ridge junior motivated to secure first women’s triple jump medal for Americans in meet history after teammates have already ended similar droughts in their events in Finland

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Jasmine Moore doesn’t need to be reminded of the women’s triple jump history for the United States at the IAAF World U-20 Championships.

“Yeah, I know that one,” said Moore, a junior at Mansfield Lake Ridge High in Texas.

Despite some of the most decorated high school and collegiate triple jumpers in American history representing the country in the previous 16 editions of the meet, none of them have been able to capture a medal.

Georgia Tech’s Bria Matthews came the closest in 2016 in Poland when she tied for third at 44 feet, 3.25 inches (13.49m), only to have Romania’s Georgiana Iuliana Anitei earn the bronze medal based on a better second jump.

After watching several of her teammates during the week in Tampere, Finland enjoy their own historic medal breakthroughs for the U.S., Moore wants the final day of competition at Ratina Stadium to conclude with her landing a place on the podium for the second summer in a row.

Moore secured a bronze medal for the Americans last year at the Pan American U-20 Championships in Trujillo, Peru with a mark of 43-5.75 (13.25m), but she has been motivated all season to end the drought for the U.S. on a global stage.

“It would be really exciting, just because I feel like triple jump is getting better, as far as the women in the United States and our jumps and our marks as a whole are getting stronger,” said Moore, who ranks equal to the No. 8 World U-20 performer this year at 44-0.75 (13.43m) from March 31 at the Texas Relays.

“For me, if I could accomplish that and be the first one, it would be a big deal for all the jumpers.”

Moore already witnessed history Friday from Georgia’s Tara Davis, who became the first American female long jumper to achieve a World U-20 medal with a 20-10.50 (6.36m) effort that earned bronze. Moore finished 10th with a leap of 19-8 (5.99m).

“This year I’ve progressed a lot in that event, which has also helped my speed in the triple jump in coming off my first phase. In the long jump, I’ve been working on my landing, which has helped with my third phase of the triple jump,” Moore said. “Just pushing myself in one has helped me improve in the other.”

Moore, who ranks as the No. 6 all-time prep performer in the triple jump, demonstrated what her potential could be May 12 at the Texas UIL state final, leading Mansfield Lake Ridge to the 5A team championship.

Moore produced a wind-aided effort of 45-4.75 (13.83m), No. 4 under all conditions among World U-20 athletes this year.

Only Brittany Daniels of Merrill West CA has achieved a better mark under all conditions as a high school competitor.

“I’ve been more focused this year,” Moore said. “I’m stronger, my speed is better, all in all this year I’ve focused in and changed my mindset to, ‘I want to win and this is what I’ve got to do to become the best or jump the marks that I want to jump and get to where I want to be.’”

Curtis WA graduate and Oregon signee Lexi Ellis, who eclipsed her own state record with a 43-6 (13.25m) effort May 26, finished second June 17 to Moore at the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships in Indiana.

Ellis was also hoping to contend for a medal in Finland, but developed a fever earlier in the week and didn’t advance to the final, only jumping 41-8.75 (12.72m) during Saturday’s qualifying round.

But Ellis knows Moore has the potential to come through in the clutch and join Davis, along with javelin throwers Dana Baker and Tzuriel Pedigo, as first-time medalists for the Americans at the World U-20 level.

“I think it’s her focus and her strength. She’s incredibly strong, especially for her age. She obviously doesn’t get that high level of competition all the time, so she doesn’t get the feel of having a whole group of people that are pretty much on the same level, like it was at USA Championships, but (she) did it there and hopefully can do it again,” Ellis said. “You have to realize who your competition is and you have to understand that when you do see them, it’s not necessarily the marks that are on the paper, it’s whoever shows up to compete on that day. You have to be ready to compete at all times, no matter the circumstances, no matter the weather, you just have to show up, and whoever wants it the most is going to show what they can do on that day.”

Moore needed a third-round jump Saturday of 42-11 (13.08m) to secure her spot in the final, but she knows that with the potential to jump six times Sunday, the opportunity is there to accomplish what the best American U-20 performers in history – Keturah Orji, Erica McLain, Daniels and Matthews – were unable to achieve by collecting a medal.

“It’s going to be exciting,” Moore said. “Just to have the competition, I think it’s going to bring out the best in me to be pushed like that and to have that type of competition, and have girls that are jumping 45 feet because I haven’t jumped with anyone in high school yet like that.”

Moore and Ellis have both drawn inspiration this year from American record holder Tori Franklin, along with eight-time NCAA champion and three-time USATF Outdoor winner Orji, who have helped elevate the profile of the event, not only in the U.S., but around the world.

“Seeing how Keturah and Tori are battling it out, and knowing that in the coming years, we’re going to be seeing so many other girls triple jumpers in contention to be on the World Championship team and it’s not just Tori and Keturah anymore, it’s this whole pool of people that will be able to compete for those spots, it’s exciting. I’ve always been a person that likes a challenge and I’m really excited to see what will unfold in the coming years,” Ellis said. “It’s incredible to see the development of the girls triple jump in this country this year, especially, because there has been so many girls over 42 feet and 43 feet. Being able to compete against these people all the time and going into these World Championship meets and seeing the excitement over the girls triple jump increasing, it’s really amazing.”

For Moore, a memorable performance in Sunday’s final could be the springboard toward putting herself in contention next year at U.S. nationals, with spots on the line to represent the country at the World Championships in Qatar.

“To see them get better, it makes me want to get better too because I know I have to keep up with them if that’s where I want to be in the next couple of years,” Moore said. “It’s motivating and it’s exciting that triple jump is getting more attention because I feel like we deserve it.”

Moore knows she will likely have to produce a personal best in order to be deserving of a medal, with the third-place result from the past 12 championships better than her wind-legal mark at Texas Relays.

But all the demanding workouts and emphasis on weight training and efforts to increase her speed during the past year have been structured with this meet in mind, in order to give Moore the opportunity to be at her best when it matters most.

“Whenever the meet is over, I should be dead tired because I gave it my all in both events,” Moore said. “It’s going to be more jumps than I’ve experienced before and I know it’s going to be tough, but I plan on just giving it my all each time I get on the runway and as long as I do that, then I feel like my results will be good.”