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Orji Breaks American Junior TJ Record, Left With Big Decision

Published by
ArmoryTrack.org   Jun 14th 2015, 3:05pm
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By John Crumpacker // Photo Courtesy Georgia Sports Communications

EUGENE, OR. – Sometime soon, Keturah Orji is going to have to make a decision: Should she stay or should she go?

The Georgia freshman and Mount Olive, N.J., native is 19 and in her last eligible year as a junior competitor. Problem is, she’s putting up marks in the triple jump that put her in good company with the big girls on the senior level.

On the final day of the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field Orji stretched out to 46 feet, 5 ¼ inches (14.15 meters) on the second round to put away the competition. She ended up winning by more than two feet.

Orji did a whole lot of good with her winning mark, as it represents a personal best, a Georgia school record and, most important, it broke the American junior record. The old record was 45-11 ¾ by Stanford’s Erica McLean in 2008.

“I’m really happy with it,’’ Orji said. “I also had another jump over 46 feet, so I’m happy with that. It’s always good to put a good mark out there and have everyone chase it. I’m just so excited. I’ve been jumping well all season but it’s different to do it at nationals.’’

Orji can choose to remain a junior this year and compete at the USATF junior nationals at Hayward Field June 25-28 or she can test herself against the best the country has to offer at the senior nationals, held concurrently at the same venue.

She seemed of two minds when asked which way she’ll go.

“Definitely, I want to try to do it,’’ she said of senior nationals. “I’ll have to talk to my coach. I’m really young. I might stick with juniors.’’

Orji’s winning mark on Saturday is the U.S. leader, as no other American woman is in the top 20 in the world to date.

“I’m really excited,’’ Orji said. “I’m going to work harder and fix my form. When I fix that, I’ll jump farther.’’

Orji explained that she thrusts her chest too far forward on her second, or jump, phase and she lands upright in the pit instead of extending her legs to stretch for more distance.

Another New York metro area athlete competed in the triple jump with Orji. Columbia’s Nadia Eke finished fourth with a wind-aided leap of 44-2. Eke will go on to compete for her native Ghana at the World Championships in Beijing in August.

“I’m really happy with the results,’’ Eke said. “I got a PR for the season, so that’s good. I’ve been having bone bruises in my heel that have been bothering me all season. But once I got in the middle of competition, I got excited and put it out of my mind.’’

Eke said her focus now is to “heal my heel’’ and get healthy for the World Championships.

Iona’s Kate Avery finished fourth in the 5,000 meters in 15:41.95 and although that got her a trophy and a spot on the podium, she was not happy afterward.

“I’m really disappointed,’’ she said. “I mean, you go into every race wanting to win. I just felt flat today. I didn’t have a bad day, I didn’t have a good day. It was just flat.’’

Avery ran with the leaders for much of the race before falling back as Emily Sisson of Providence went on to win in 15:34.10, with Dominique Scott of Arkansas second in 15:40.47 and Jessica Tonn of Stanford third in 15:41.72.

“Hopefully, my season is going to go on to the Worlds,’’ the Great Briton said. “We don’t have a trial for the 10K but you have to show fitness. I want my season to go to August.’’

Claudia Francis of Florida by way of Queens, N.Y., finished seventh in the 800 in 2:07.72.

 



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