Smith finishes eighth, still has outside shot at Olympic berth
The article below originally appeared in the San Mateo Daily Journal and is being reprinted with permission.
EUGENE, Ore. — The Olympic and international long jump quest for Jason Smith is just moving into another gear after his solid eighth-place finish in Monday night's U.S. Olympic Trials at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field with a jump of 7.87 meters (25 feet, 10 inches).
The College of San Mateo assistant coach will continue his summer competition, along with the other finalists, in hopes of reaching the next level. It appears that, for the first time, no Americans have the Olympic Games standard — 8.27 meters (27-1 3/4) for Paris — in an event the USA has dominated over the past century.
Americans have held the world record for most of that time — from the days of 1936 Olympic star Jesse Owens to Mike Powell's record leap of 8.95 meters (29-4 1/2) in 1991. Owens' world record of 8.13 meters (26-8 1/4) is the same as Smith's best official mark, achieved on June 2 in Chula Vista.
No American is assured of a Paris Olympic long jump berth at this time — unless someone finds an existing meet to achieve the standard by this week's June 30 deadline. World Athletics will use its new ranking system to complete the Olympic field in about a month, with only nine athletes worldwide having achieved the standard to date.
Smith will, therefore, go on the European circuit next month in hopes of at least improving his World Athletics ranking — not just for Paris '24, but for the 2025 World Championships.
"I'm looking to be a top-20 athlete in the future," said Smith, a lifelong San Bruno resident. "I now have an agent, who has lined up meets for me next month in Europe. We're going to hit it in July — and then at post-Olympic Games meets in August — to improve my world ranking."
Smith survived a dramatic long jump competition on Monday night, with NBC network coverage using shots of the event. His initial jump of 7.85 meters (25-9 1/4) landed in third place at the time and was good enough to reach the final eight — but not without some trepidation. After two more solid jumps, 7.78 (25-6 1/4) and a slight improvement to 7.87, Smith held that last top-eight prelim mark. Three more jumpers with superior personal bests had a last chance to displace him.
"I couldn't even watch," said Smith.
Trials favorite Marquis Dendy, with two fouls, managed only 7.62 on his third jump and was out. So was qualifying round co-leader Wes Williams, who fell short at 7.76, and Kemonie Briggs, at 7.63. So, Smith stayed in the top eight for three more efforts. He failed to improve, however.
"That was similar to at the Indoor Championships this year, when other guys could have passed me," said Smith. He wound up fifth at those championships.
The Trials champion was Jeremiah Davis, the NCAA runner-up earlier in June for Florida State, who jumped 8.20 meters (26-11), followed by Malcolm Clemons at 8.18 (26-10). Jarrion Lawson also jumped 8.18, but placed third on the tiebreaker (second best jump). Nobody has a ticket to Paris yet.
None of the 2024 Trials performances made it onto the top 25 all-time Olympic Trials list, which is capped at 8.15 meters (26-9).
There is some controversy surrounding the new jumping boards in the updated Hayward Field Stadium, which was rebuilt for the 2022 World Championships. Lawson is the No. 4 all-time Olympic Trials performer at 8.58 meters (28-1 3/4) and Dendy is No. 5 at 8.42 meters (27-7 1/2), both achieved at the 2016 Trials.
This time Dendy could not even make it to the final eight off the new stadium board. And everyone fell short of the Olympic standard.
"The boards at the new stadium are not ample for good jumps," said Smith.
The last World Athletics rankings, issued on Wednesdays, list the leading Americans as No. 10 Dendy and No. 11 Williams — the duo who did not make the final 8 at Eugene — and No. 12 Lawson. Then come No. 23 Clemons. No. 35 Davis should get a boost from his Eugene win. Smith was No. 65 (the eighth American in those rankings), who continues to rise in the rankings. He is currently No. 29 on the world season best marks list with his 8.13 jump earlier this month.
Smith's actual personal best is 8.28 meters (27-2), achieved at a 2023 meet at Azusa, where the jump was legal in every aspect, except that the meet had not been properly sanctioned under then brand new World Athletics regulations. He was unfairly penalized for a meet director's miscue. That also negatively impacted his world ranking.
Track and Field News does list Smith as the No. 4 American jumper for 2023 with that 8.28 mark. USA Track & Field, however, does not recognize it for official "Development" funding support.