NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK -- Morgan Smalls (Panther Creek) left no doubt in the girls high jump at New Balance Nationals Indoor on Friday at The Armory, clearing 6 feet, 3.25 inches to set a new junior class national record.
She won against a loaded field by 3.5 inches! But the crazy part was ... she left it with three attempts left.
Smalls was coming off the North Carolina state record at the indoor state meet where she jumped 6-1, but that was a bit deceiving -- she stopped just after 6-1 to focus on the triple jump later in the day. And while the performance was incredible, it left the question of, What if she kept jumping?
Well, now we know.
Smalls cleared 6-3.25 to become the second best high jumper in high school history, only trailing Vashti Cunningham, who jumped 6-6.25 in high school. Cunningham continues to be one of the strongest national records, if not the strongest.
Going in at 5-10.75, there were three other girls in the competition. Smalls certainly laid on the pressure, clearing it on her first attempt. The rest of the field would not be able to eclipse the mark.
Smalls had locked in on the national junior class mark and would raise the bar up to 6-2, which would be a new PR. After a miss on her first attempt, Smalls cleared it on her first attempt.
Lisa Bernhagan (Wood River, ID) held the previous US No. 2 all-Time mark of 6-3, so Smalls would move the bar up to 6-3.25. Smalls would miss on her first attempt, but was able to clear the mark.
You can tell she was in complete shock after improving 2.5 inches on her PR.
Smalls is far from done in New York. She heads into the long jump at US No. 1 at 19-11.25 and US No. 3 in the triple jump at 41-9.75. She'll contend for a three event sweep over the next two days.
