Geohagan wins triple jump title

Geohagan wins triple jump title at USATF National Junior Olympics
By EMERY GLOVER, T&D Sports WriterMonday, July 28, 2008

OMAHA, Neb. - With the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships behind them, Ronald Geohagan was able to walk away with victories in the long jump and triple jump events and the title of national champion.

The 13-year-old Geohagan posted a leap of 41 feet and 10.75 inches, just over a foot better than the second place finisher, to take home the triple jump title on Saturday. On Sunday, the competition was a little tighter in the long jump event. Geohagan finished five inches ahead of second place with a jump of 21 feet and 5.25 inches.

“He was happy,” his father Ronald Geohagan, Sr. said. “He handled himself well. He didn’t catch the big head or anything like that.”

By winning the state and regional meets, Geohagan earned the right to compete in the USATF sanctioned event against other athletes from across the country. There, Geohagan advanced to the finals after finishing as one of the top 8 jumpers in the qualifying rounds. The elder Geohagan believes that this is arguably one of his son’s greatest athletic accomplishments.

“You’re going against the best of the best of the best,” he said. “The Junior Olympics, by far, is the hardest division you can be in as far as track and field. To say that you’ve won the nationals, that’s prestigious.”

Now that he has two more national titles to go with the USA Outdoor National triple jump championship, what’s next for Ronald Geohagan, Jr.?

“Actually,” the elder Geohagan said, “this is it. We decided to give him some rest. He’s been jumping pretty much and every weekend, we’ve been somewhere.”

T&D Sports Writer Emery Glover can be reached by e-mail at eglover@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5532. Check out his blog, Cover 2, at www.TheTandD.com.