Could This Be A Raw TJ Talent?

[richxx87]

Sounds like a great story on this guy Kali, but in the article they say he may make the Olympics -- a looooong way to go before that could happen with lots of odds against it. TJers certainly seem like a quirky bunch, too bad that Hall is sort of out of the picture at present.

Anyway doing a check of the All time CA high schoolers it occurred to me that none made the Olympics in the TJ (Williams obviously did in the LJ).
Of these guys below:

Von Ware was the most successful TJer, having reached a PB (i believe, of 55-1) and placed 3rd at US nationals in '99 and '98, alas not Olympic years.

Dave Tucker placed 4th at nationals in '70 as an 11th grader, but never went further than his 11th grade mark of 52-6.

Ellard went on to play FB at Fresno St. and the Rams

and one more guy I remember, Vestee Jackson, jumped 51-7 in 1981 (probably 11th AT in CA), but followed in Ellard's footsteps going to UWash and Chicago Bears for FB.

also an interesting note, Tucker, Williams, Ellard and Vestee Jackson all went to HS in Fresno, CA -- odd there must be some TJ juice in the water there.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Triple Jump (legal)
53-06.50 Joe Richardson (Pasadena) 1984
52-10.5 Charles Mayfield (Muir, Pasadena) 1980
52-06.25 Dave Tucker (San Joaquin Memorial, Fresno) 1970
52-06.00 Henry Ellard (Hoover, Fresno) 1979
52-05.75 Marcus Hooks (Lakewood) 1986
52-04.75 Ken Frazier (Mission, San Francisco) 1981
52-03.50 Randy Williams (Edison, Fresno) 1971
52-00.00 Von Ware (Rancho Buena Vista, Vista) 1994
51-11.00 Joel Smith (Cordova, Rancho Cordova) 1987
51-08.75 MacArthur Anderson (Bakersfield) 1987
-10-
State-meet record: 52-5.75 Marcus Hooks (Lakewood) 1986
Senior all-time state best: 53-6.5 Joe Richardson (Pasadena) 1984
Junior all-time state best: 52-6.25 Dave Tucker (San Joaq Mem, Fresno) 1970
Sophomore all-time state best: 50-2.5 Ken Frazier (Mission , San Fran) 1980
Freshman all-time state best: 48-4 Dave Tucker (San Joaq. Mem, Fresno) 1968

[Half Miler]

But . . . what happened to our last phenom, Mr. Hall?

Balumbu may be our most recent phenom, considering his (lack of) speed, and he seems to be progressing nicely.

[tc]

Kali Jackson's series at the Collinsville Invitational: 50-4.25, 50-0, 48-11.25, 49-6, 48-10, 52-5.75. The wind reading for the big jump was -2.2 (the card doesn't indicate mps or mph). All wind readings for the best attempts by the other seven jumpers were also negative, ranging from -1.1 to -2.2. Second place was 46-5.5. Jackson will contest all three jumps plus relays at the State Meet this weekend.

[polevaultpower]

But . . . what happened to our last phenom, Mr. Hall?

It sounds like he is not really into school http://www.trackshark.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=489

[El Toro]

I've had no shortage of ankles, either, one for each leg has worked out well.

[gh]

All depends on your body I guess; never had a knee problem in my life, but no shortage of ankles, coincident with taking up the TJ.

[tafnut]

forget the landing; bounding drills are paramount at that stage of his development and can you imagine what asphalt is doing to his heels and ankles? Ouch.

Probably little at his age and resiliency, but if he kept that up, he'd have no knees by 25. I was nowhere near gh's performances (which were? - or is this going to be like the infamous 1958 thread, where the answer NEVER gets revealed (Lost cognate!)), but I'm still doing it and trust me, the knees KNOW!

[gh]

forget the landing; bounding drills are paramount at that stage of his development and can you imagine what asphalt is doing to his heels and ankles? Ouch.

[LegalizeIt]

That is impressive indeed. Not that when you're in high school, the triple jump landing is the most important focus of your "training," but without a pit to practice "falling hard" into is difficult, I imagine.

The kid's a freak, there's no doubt about it. 52 feet is incredible. It always seems that the most "freakish" of track athletes end up being the jumpers. Who knows, just a thought....

[tafnut]

The distance impresses me a lot more than his lack of a pit. He can accomplish 95% of what he needs to do w/o a pit, but the ability to go 52' in HS is VERY impressive. But . . . what happened to our last phenom, Mr. Hall?

I will be looking for Kali's progress in the post-season. Here's to a great future!

[gh]

Story on front page says that the national HS leader (52-5.75) has no facility, practices in parking lots!