Photos: courtesy of prettysporty.com
Jarrett Samuels of Vance High School loves to jump, and he loves to jump far. Samuels finished 3rd at last year's 4A State Outdoor Championships, but then went on to represent the United States at the World Youth Championships. He qualified by winning the USATF long jump title with a leap of 23-11.75. That jump was a new personal best for him and competing at the World Youth Champs in Italy was a 
huge confidence builder for him. In Italy he jumped a new personal best of 24-2.
"It changed my whole mentality on my talent in the long jump."
Jumping out close to 24' isn't something that most high schoolers do. Samuels has put himself in a special class of jumpers in the US. He is currently ranked #2 in the nation with his most recent leap of 23-8 at the Tar Heel HS Invitational this weekend.
"My goal for indoor is to jump at least 24 feet, and I plan on attending the Nike National Meet in Boston."
A jump that far will keep him near the head of the class in the United States during indoor and outdoor track. I asked what his outdoor goal was as well.
"My goal is jump 25 feet and longer."
Without a doubt this junior wants to be one of the best. He told me he had been jumping since he was 8 years old which obviously gives him a lot of experience.
However, don't think Jarrett is only a jumper. He's also been working on his speed endurance. Something he needs to have as he takes multiple jumps down the runway. This past weekend, Jarrett placed 2nd in the 300m in 35.62, a time that ranks #16 in the US.
This weekend at the Durham Striders HS Invitational, he says, "I'm actually running the 300 and the 4x400 this weekend at Chapel Hill."
He hasn't tried the other jumps, as he true love is to simply do the long jump. Finally, I asked him which track athlete he'd like to meet.
"Dwight Phillips, because I look up to him. He does the same event and he's good at it." Phillips is the 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist in the long jump and has a personal best of 28-8.25!
Watch out for this young, he's only a junior, jumper over the next two years. The all-time NC record is 25-9 set by Chris Brooks of Broughton way back in 1982. The top indoor mark is 24-7.5 which was set by Marcus O'Neal of Dudley in 1997. That is a mark that Jarrett could definitely hit at this year's state meet in February.
