Vashti Cunningham tops them all at World Indoor

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

For the first time in history, an American high school student has won an IAAF world championship. 

Vashti Cunningham had no misses until she topped 6 feet 5 (1.96m) and watched as every other woman in the IAAF World Indoor high jump competition failed to keep up with her Sunday at the Oregon Convention Center. 

"I'm excited on the inside but keeping calm on the outside," said a composed Cunningham afterward.

Cunningham announced briefly after the competition that she has decided to turn pro, although she deferred on any details and it did not sound as if she had signed a deal with a shoe company yet. 

Cunningham, who attends Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, was cool and calm as she represented the United States for the first time at the senior level, becoming the youngest IAAF World Indoor gold medalist in any event at 18 years, 62 days.

Last summer, Cunningham won the Pan Am Junior championship in Canada and concluded 2015 as the highest jumper in the U.S. 

Despite winning the title, she did not match her performance from a week earlier on the same track. Cunningham went 6-6.25 (1.99m) to win the U.S. title but missed three attempts at that height Sunday, along with three other competitors. 

It didn't matter. And now, with the guidance of her father and coach, Randall Cunningham, Vashti will devise a schedule and training plan to compete for a berth on the U.S. Olympic team and a chance to win again at the Rio Games this summer.

"God, he blessed me," Cunningham said. "He's given me abilities to give back more to Him."