Ogbonna Hits Junior Nationals Standard

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ALBANY, N.Y. – The men’s indoor track program at the University at Albany features a high jumping squad with intimidating depth.  The men’s team swept the top three places at the America East Indoor Championships, and placed three in the top eight at IC4A Championships two weeks later.  Top jumper Alexander Bowen is competing at indoor nationals this week.  But the latest accolade belongs to one of three stellar freshman jumpers, Kinglsey Ogbonna.

Ogbonna is still young enough to maintain eligibility for junior nationals.  But there was still a standard to hit that Ogbonna had not yet reached.  Entering his final indoor meet last weekend, Obgonna’s best mark on the season was a very respectable 6’-9”.  The junior nationals committee hadn’t yet released qualifying standards by the time of competition, but jump coach Todd Wolin expected that a jump of 6’-10.75” would be enough to satisfy the mark when it was finally released.

Obgonna placed eighth at IC4A’s with a mark of 6’-10.25”.  He actually tied freshman teammate Matthew Campbell, who placed fourth due to a cleaner progression through the heights.  When USATF released the junior national standards late Tuesday, Ogbonna’s mark from IC4A’s matched the qualifying standard, putting him in the pool of competitors qualified and eligible to compete.

Junior nationals takes only 16 competitors for the meet, but Ogbonna presumably still has time to improve his mark, as the qualifying window for this year’s meet runs from June 19, 2013 through June 22, 2014.  The meet itself will be held on July 5 through July 6 in Eugene Oregon.  The men’s high jump is scheduled for July 6.