LA triple jumper wins surprise gold in high jump

Posted by Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi | May 9, 2017 | Track & Field |

Navajo Times | Adron Gardner
Laguna Acoma Hawk Andrew Corley attempts a high jump during the A-3A New Mexico track and field championship at the University of New Mexico Stadium in Albuquerque May 5. Corley claimed the state title in the 3A high jump with a best jump of 6-00.00.

ALBUQUERQUE

When Andrew Corley showed up at the state track and field championships, he had a few tricks up his sleeve. He just didn’t know it yet.

Corley, a junior at Laguna Acoma High School, spent most of the season excelling in the triple jump but at the 2017 NMAA State Track and Field Championships held over the weekend, he placed first in the high jump and took home a gold medal.

He said it was a pleasant surprise.

“Going into the season I didn’t really think that I could jump that, that I could jump over six foot and get to six-two, but I don’t know it just happened,” he said. “I qualified at 5-10, but I got stuck at 6-2. That’s good.”

Before the meet, Corley prided himself in the triple jump, an event in which he had more experience. But this season he decided to give the high jump a go.

He qualified for state with a mark of 5 feet, 10 inches, but set the mark at 6-0 in one of his first attempts at state and followed with a season-best when he cleared 6-2.

Corley said he was full of doubt after a rough start.

“Going in I was pretty nervous,” he said. “We warmed up at the height they started at and I cleared it easy, then when we started I hit the bar. I kind of psyched myself out throughout the whole thing until I hit 6 feet on my first try.”

By clearing 6 feet, he set the bar for the rest of the competition.

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