Georgia’s Keturah Orji made it three titles in three tries Saturday at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
With her 46-foot, 10 3/4-inch jump, Orji placed first in triple jump for the third consecutive year. The junior from the University of Georgia beat out Kentucky’s Marie-Josee Ebwea-Bile by nearly two feet in another dominant performance.
Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, Orji, a 2016 Olympian, has been breaking records in triple jump since her first attempt at it as a sophomore at Mount Olive High School. She broke the school record in her first-ever jump and the county record in the second. Once arriving at UGA, Orji quickly knocked off any triple-jump record that stood in her way. She owns the outdoor collegiate triple-jump record — as well as the U.S. outdoor record — at 47 feet, 8 inches. The next two best jumps are also Orji’s, along with the top wind-aided jump.
As Orji has swept through records and titles in her collegiate career, the superlatives and honors have followed. Among them are the 2015 Freshman Field Athlete of the Year, 2016 U.S. Triple Jump Champion, 2016 USTFCCCA Outdoor Women’s Field Athlete of the Year and 2016 SEC Indoor and Outdoor Women’s Field Athlete of the Year. In the 2016 Olympics as the youngest athlete in the field, she placed fourth in triple jump, just three centimeters out of a bronze medal.
Along with her title in triple jump, Orji had her best-ever finish in long jump Thursday. With a 22-foot, 1/4-inch jump, she took second place behind her teammate, Kate Hall.
Orji’s first and second-place finishes gave UGA 18 of its 62.2 points in the women’s team competition. The Bulldogs are the first team to sweep the triple jump, high jump and long jump titles at the NCAA Championships. Oregon finished with 64 points to win. UGA’s 62.2 points set a team record, giving it a best-ever second-place finish.
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