Davis eager to deliver another memorable performance

Agoura senior has potential to capture national long jump title, advance to 60-meter hurdles final competing against professionals in Albuquerque

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Even more than jumping, if there is one thing Tara Davis loves, it’s an opportunity.

Whether it’s getting an entire stadium or arena to clap in unison as she prepares to sprint down the runway or coming through in the clutch with a final-round leap to secure a World Youth gold medal or pursuing three California state individual titles in the same meet, Davis never turns down a chance to produce a memorable moment.

After setting national high school and American Junior indoor long jump records Feb. 10 with her lifetime-best 21 feet, 11 inches (6.68m) at the Dunamis Sports Group Prep Classic in Frisco, Texas, the Agoura CA senior has provided herself the opportunity to shine on an even bigger stage Saturday.

Davis, 17, not only qualified for the USATF Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, N.M., the Georgia signee is the favorite to win the long jump, in addition to challenging for a spot in the 60-meter hurdles final Sunday. The Plyometric Fusion athlete is ranked 10th among the 60 hurdles entries with her personal-best 8.22 seconds, which she ran Feb. 18 at the Simplot Games in Pocatello, Idaho.

“That was the goal for this year was to try and get that indoor record,” said Davis, the No. 11 performer in the world this year after eclipsing the 1981 high school and American Junior standards of 21-7.5 set by Carol Lewis.

“I finally see it. It’s not like I haven’t seen it before, but I worked so hard this offseason and it’s like, ‘Wow’ if I do this all the time, I’m going to go somewhere.”

With no past U.S. Indoor champions among the 14 long jump entries, in addition to this year’s top three Americans – Kentucky’s Sha’Keela Saunders, Alabama’s Quanesha Burks and Georgia’s Keturah Orji – not competing in Albuquerque to focus on the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 10-11, Davis has the potential to follow last year’s high jump winner Vashti Cunningham by capturing a national indoor title while still in high school.

“It has been the plan since last year,” said Ty Davis, Tara’s father. “I told her the Olympians are holding out until outdoors since they are recovering. It’s the perfect opportunity to grab the spotlight.”

Tara Davis thrived with the spotlight on her in Cali, Colombia in July 2015, winning the World Youth long jump gold medal on her final attempt with a 21-0.25 (6.41m) effort.

She was primed to secure a spot on the U.S. roster to compete in July at the World U-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, before a foot injury grounded that dream in June with a fourth-place finish at 20-7 (6.27m) at the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships in Clovis, Calif.

“It honestly burned a little hole in my heart,” Tara Davis said. “Now it’s patching up. We’re getting there.”

Although still not 100 percent, Davis still competed in the long jump at the U.S. Olympic Trials, placing 19th with a leap of 19-11.75 (6.09m). But the experience of being surrounded by collegiate stars and elite professional athletes was invaluable in her career development.

“She realized what it takes to compete at that level and the kind of work she would need to do, not only this season but in college, in order to get there,” Agoura coach Colin Pratt said. “She learned a lot from being there and it’s definitely shown in her training.”

Once Davis’ foot injury healed and she resumed full-time training, there was a different focus and purpose in her fall workouts. Davis had worked two jobs, but decided to put those responsibilities aside in order to concentrate on school and training in preparation for her final high school indoor season.

“It was a huge eye opener (at the Olympic Trials). I saw that all of those girls had worked so hard to get to that point and it was a big reality check. But I’ve matured since then,” Davis said. “Yes, my workouts are hard, and yes, I work out hard every time I work out, but it was about a mature level of working out. It wasn’t about doing a high school workout, it was about doing a college or pro or elite workout.”

After opening her 2017 schedule with 19- and 20-foot long jumps, Davis put together the best series of marks in her career at the Dunamis Sports Group Prep Classic, leaping 21 feet and 21-4 on the first two attempts, before delivering the record-setting performance in the fifth round.

“Basically he sees a sparkle in my eye. When my dad saw me warming up, he said, ‘Oh no’ it was going to be good in a good way,” Davis said. “He sees this different side of me where I’m energetic and happy and smiling and acting like there is not a care in the world, and that’s when I think I know it’s the best too.

“When I got on the runway, I had this power that you never see until it’s a good day. I just wanted to go out there and pump up the crowd. I was like,  ‘I’ve got to be aggressive. I’m not being aggressive anymore.’ So I’m like, ‘Be aggressive,’ and I just took off.”

Unlike her jump that clinched the World Youth gold medal in Colombia, Davis didn’t immediately react when she exited the pit, meaning her family had to wait a little extra to learn that she broke the national record.

“I honestly though it was going to be a 20-foot jump. It didn’t feel good, whatsoever. My landing was off. I got over myself and my dad and I looked at each other and we’re like, ‘No, that’s not a good jump,’” Davis said. “And then (the official) said 21-11 and I was like ‘What,’ that was so random. Then I realized my dad couldn’t hear that and he was so confused until they put the mark on the board.”

Although Davis broke her own meet record at Simplot Games with a 21-2.75 effort and produced an outdoor best Feb. 25 of 21-1 at the Burbank Relays, her final prep indoor competition in Texas was meaningful for multiple reasons.

“All of my family was there, so it was just meant to be,” Davis said. “My (dad’s parents) were super proud of me. It made that trip worth it and it brought tears to my eyes. It was special for me for them to watch me.”

It could be another special weekend for Davis at Albuquerque Convention Center, with the pursuit of another national record long jump, along with challenging the California state record of 8.17 in the 60 hurdles set in 2013 by former Castro Valley talent and current University of Oregon star Sasha Wallace.

Davis is also trying to become the first American high school standout to win the USATF national indoor long jump title since Lewis in 1981, in addition to joining Lewis and Helen Stephens (1935-36) by capturing the championship at age 17.

She then has plans of pursuing a different double March 10-12 at New Balance Nationals Indoor at The Armory in New York by going after the long jump and triple jump titles.

“I’m not trying to break every record in the book, I’m just going to try to go out there and do my thing,” Davis said. “It shows that hard work actually pays off. I know you hear that all the time and practice makes perfect, but it does. That’s why I am where I am today.”