2.22m (7-3.25) High Jump - not bad for a first meet

[rainbowgirl28]

that was great maybe the school might give him a real pair of shoes now

Actually my school doesn't give anyone shoes or spikes, but I think he has a pair he can use.

[gtc]

Yea but if anybody can coach him down Lano can. LOL

[rainbowgirl28]

This story is getting coverage in Sweden!

http://www.friidrott.se/

Friidrott.se wrote:
UNDRENS TID ÄR INTE FÖRBI: 2.22 I DEBUTEN!

23 JAN, 2006 Vid en universitetstävling i Charleston, Illinois, i lördags klarade 21-årige Donald Thomas (eller heter han Thompson?) från Lindenwood University 2.22 i höjdhopp.

Vid första anblicken låter detta ganska vardagligt. Men lägger man till att det var hans första riktiga höjdhoppstävling, att han bara två dagar tidigare gjort sitt första höjdträningspass, att han "halvsatt" över ribban (ingen bakåtböjd rygg) och att han hoppade i joggingskor (utan spikar) så ställs prestationen i ett helt annat ljus.

Rötterna finns i basketen, men det intressanta är att han inte ens spelat för skollaget utan de senaste åren bara kört "street basket" för skojs skull. Det var när han häromdagen lirade med en av skolans höjdhoppare, som denne reagerade på spänsten och föreslog en test:

I torsdags tränade Thomas första gången och i lördags i första tävlingen började han på 1.94 och klarade till slut 2.22 (avstod att pröva högre höjder).
Att det rör sig om en verklig supertalang är uppenbart, men det betyder inte att Donald T nödvändigtvis är en framtida superstjärna. Ty det är - visar erfarenheten - inte givet att han utan tidigare skolning har motivationen och förmågan att lära sig "den rätta" ansats och ribbpassage som lär krävas för att nå 2.35+ nivån.

Läs mer på Track & Field News forum, där det också finns ett par bilder och länk till en videosnutt.

[Skyin' Brian]

I understand now. I can't believe he did it wearing those shoes.

maybe it IS the shoes. the nike shox helped him Ba-oing to 7'3"+

Soon they may be the preferred jumping shoe.

[rainbowgirl28]

They actually weren't Shox. He told me last night what they were but I forget now. Air something.

[rainbowgirl28]

Cool I didn't even notice that the Post-Dispatch picked up my press release

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports ... 2thomas%22

Lindenwood athlete high-jumps 7-3 1/4: LOCAL DIGEST

01/22/2006

Lindenwood high jumper Donald Thomas walked off with top honors Saturday at the EIU Mega Meet in Charleston, Ill. But that's only part of the story.

According to Lindenwood, Thomas had only decided to participate in track and field earlier in the week. The freshman member of Lindenwood's junior varsity basketball team promptly went out and cleared 7 feet 1/4 inches to win the meet. He went on to clear 7-3 1/4 for a new fieldhouse and meet record. It was 6 1/4 inches better than the former Lindenwood record.

Lindenwood came away with 17 automatic national qualifiers, eight provisional national qualifiers and three school records in the meet.

[rainbowgirl28]

More press in Sweden

http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=672&a=515840

[rainbowgirl28]

Too bad I don't speak French

http://www.hi-jump.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=680

[PentBoy]

In the french article, the one person said that his jump should be illegal because of the height of the nike shox heel i think.

[bvpv07]

basically, they are saying that his shoes made it illegal because they exceeded the height restrictions and therefore would have given him an unfair advantage...also saying, or at least asking, if they were checked at the competition to comply with US standards at the meet

they also seem to be looking for his stats and age, and are overall really impressed with his natural talent...without translation, this is evident from the emoticons

"C'est incroyable!" --> That's unbelievable!

Thank you high school french

[JMP8928]

so freakin cool. i am amazed

[MillerTime]

i hate kids that have natural god-given abilities like that! there was a guy from our school. he would never EVER lift at practice, always just screwed around. he was known for being a huge slacker. he never lifted at football practices either. hardly ever went to any meets because of his bad grades. he went to like one meet near the end of the year and ran like a 47 second 400. went to states and got 4th. got voted most athletic, i think he got a scholarship somewhere. i know a few kids like that. i hate it.