Olympic Trials Women’s High Jump — Hufnagel Takes It

WHILE ALL OF the top-8 jumpers from the T&FN formchart made it to the final, only 6-0 (1.83) was required. Just 10 jumpers cleared, with a following 5 who had clean records through 5-10 (1.78) taking a fourth jump at 6-0 (1.83). Loretta Blaut and Cierra Tidwell cleared with the extra jump to cement their places in the final.

Nine of the finalists cleared 6-0, with Sanaa Barnes, Vashti Cunningham, Jamari Drake, Rachel Glenn and Charity Hufnagel the only jumpers with no failures. At 6-2 (1.88), Jenna Rogers cleared first time, and was followed by Barnes and Hufnagel. High schooler JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, Cunningham and Glenn were successful with their second jumps, and these 6 proceeded to the next height. For Barnes the 6-2 was an improvement of her ’21 PR of 6-1½ (1.87). Rogers again went over the bar, this time at a PR 6-3¼ (1.91), and her first-time clearance was matched by Cunningham and Hufnagel. Glenn joined them with a second-time clearance, and the bar moved up to 6-4¼ (1.94).

Hufnagel had won the ’23 NCAA, but had focused more on the heptathlon this year, jumping only 6-1½ during the current season. However, she was the only jumper over 6-4¼ (1.94), an outdoor PR, at the first time of asking. She was joined by Glenn, who went clear with her third jump, leaving Cunningham and Rogers tied for 3rd at 6-3¼.

Both missed with their first attempts at 6-4 in an administrative jumpoff to select the Paris squad’s third member. But when the bar was lowered to 6-3½ (1.92) Cunningham then went over to seal her third Olympic selection. Remarkably it was the first time Cunningham had been defeated in a U.S. championship, indoors or outdoors, since Chaunté Lowe beat her at the ’16 Trials.

Hufnagel had three tries at the Olympic standard of 6-5½ (1.97), but together with Rachel Glenn, will have to wait until early next month to see if they are among the top-32 when World Athletics releases its final pre-Olympic rankings. Hufnagel noted that the competition was “pretty amazing,” adding “it was so amazing that I could come out here today, have fun with it, and do what I know I can do.”

WOMEN’S HIGH JUMP RESULTS

FINAL (June 24)

1. Charity Hufnagel (Ky) 6-4¼ (1.94) PR; 2. Rachel Glenn (Ar) 6-4¼ (1.94); 3t. Jenna Rogers (Nb) PR & Vashti Cunningham (NikeRB) 6-3¼ (1.91) (Cunningham won administrative jumpoff for 3rd); 5….