Excelsior High’s Shantae Foreman could barely contain herself after breaking the girls’ Class Three high jump record on yesterday’s third day of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.
The 14-year-old first-year Class Three athlete, who stands an imposing 5’ 11”, cleared 1.79m to erase 1.78m set by Shiann Salmon of Hydel three years ago to add to the gold she won in Class Four last year.
“I am very happy, I am elated,” she told reporters afterwards as she entered the IAAF Under-18 rankings in fifth-place behind Jamaicans Malaik Cunningham, Janique Burgher, Lamar Distin and Australian Emily Whelan, all of whom have cleared 1.80m.
After missing on the first attempt at 1.79m, Foreman cleared on the next jump and said she was determined to get over the height.
“I told myself I can clear it and I must clear it… I really wanted to break the record, I wanted my name to be in the book of records,” she said.
Foreman, who came into the championships with a personal best of 1.75m and started at 1.60m yesterday, the third height, and said she was always confident she would win.
“I am elated. I was always confident… at the other track meets I watched my competitors and targeted them. In training, I corrected my mistakes and came out here and did what I trained for,” she beamed.
