Oregon City OR Senior Jumps 22-4 For No. 2 All-Time, Fourth In The World Under Any Conditions

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Photos by Kim Spir

PORTLAND -- Sophia Beckmon of Oregon City has been exploring new space in the girls long jump the past two: the area on the far end of the pit. 

Last weekend in Snohomish, Wash. at the GearUp Eason Invitational, Beckmon went six inches beyond her personal best when she jumped 21-4.25. 

But on Friday at the Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays, with sunny skies and temperatures soaring near 90 degrees, Beckmon moved from seventh on the all-time prep list to second. On her third and final attempt, she ran faster, jumped higher, and went farther than she ever has: 22 feet, 4 inches. 

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When she heard the number, the normally composed Beckmon celebrated her Beamon-esque moment. 

"I have no idea what just happened," she said. "Coming into the meet, my goal was to maybe match my PR again, knowing that I can jump 21 now. I want to be consistently jumping that. 

"But 22, wow, that came out of nowhere."

Beckmon opened with 21 feet, then jumped 21-2 and hit the big jump on her third, and final, try. As soon as she jumped it, and celebrated, she started getting ready for the 4x200 relay and then a showdown with best friend Mia Brahe-Pedersen of Lake Oswego. 

Beckmon's jump was steel-taped for accuracy but there was no wind gauge present. The wind moving through Cronin Field was moving from west to east. The long jump runways are oriented north-south. 

In the 100 meters, Brahe-Pedersen clocked 11.07 with a 3.2 m/s wind -- 26th best in the world under any conditions this year. Beckmon was second in 11.30, another huge best, windy or not. 

Increased speed, a longer approach and warm, dry day all factored into the big jump. 

Brahe-Pedersen was lying quietly in the shade of a tent when she heard Beckmon's mark over the loudspeaker. 

"When I heard it, I was like Are you kidding? Are you joking? You have to be joking. No way. That's like two inches off the national record," Brahe-Pedersen said. 

The national high school record of 22-5 was another monumental moment, when Kate Hall of Lake Region Maine PR'd by 18 inches at New Balance Nationals Outdoor in 2015 to break Kathy McMillan's 1976 record of 22-3.

With two months left in the season, the high school and American U20 records could be up for grabs with Beckmon so close. 

Beckmon's jump would have won the boys competition as well, surpassing the 21-11 of Evergreen WA's Jonathan Landry. It also matched the longest jump by a boy in Oregon so far this season. 

The elite invitational miles were moved out of the heat and rescheduled for the final races of the meet, which turned out to be a smart decision.

A loaded boys race came down to the wire as Rocky Mountain ID's Tyler Sainsbury held off Crater OR's Tyrone Gorze for the win, 4:05.41 to 4:05.47. Twelve boys broke 4:10 for the second year in a row, and 17 dipped under 4:12. 

Skyline WA teammates Anna Callahan and Rebecca O'Keefe were even closer in a girls race that was settled in the final step. Callahan, who led nearly the entire way, reached the finish in 4:48.44. O'Keefe was next to her and second in 4:48.47. 

Austin Milton of Sherwood OR threw a US#2 mark of 209-0 to win the boys javelin. 

Central Catholic OR's Kyeese Hollands threw a new best in the javelin, US#4 153-11, and also won the discus with 132-4. 

Demari Thompson of North Salem won the elite boys 100 with a personal best and state-leading time of 10.59 wind-legal. 

Despite most of the distance talent going into the boys mile, the 3,200 meters that preceded it was good, too. Four runners went under 9 minutes, led by Newberg's Anthony Giesch, who closed in 60.9 and ran 8:56.20 for the win. 

Skyline WA's Sydney Collier ran by herself for much of the girls 3,200, winning it in 10:47.59. 

Brahe-Pedersen led Lake Oswego to victories in the 4x100 (47.43), 4x200 (1:40.51) and 4x400 (3:51.32). The Lakers lead the state in all three relays. 

Fuad Omer split 47.2 and took Westview from fifth to first in the boys 4x400. He collapsed over the finish to give the Wildcats a time of 3:24.67. 

Micah Perry of Barlow ran 14.11w (+2.3) to win the 110-meter hurdles. He was also fourth in the elite 100 final, in 10.85.

Roosevelt's Nywaun Campbell doubled in the throws, winning the shot put with a new personal best 54-0.50 and the discus with 152-6. 

Noah Goodrich of Summit won the boys triple jump with a state-leading 46-2.