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BURNABY – She goes by Queen Christabel on twitter and like the reign of another monarch Canadians might know, Christabel Nettey is enjoying an extended tenure as the country’s best female long jumper.
The 31-year-old, who was born in Brampton, Ont., but grew up in Surrey, won seven consecutive national titles from 2013 to 2019 and is the Canadian record holder with a jump of 6.99 metres back in 2015.
Injuries, inconsistency and pandemic-related idleness have slowed the two-time Olympian and 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist, but she’s bounced back this season as she looks to the Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome Track Classic for the qualifying standard needed to get to the World Athletics championships in Eugene, Ore., beginning July 15.
A legal 6.80-metre jump and a slight wind-aided one of 6.87 metres May 29 in Chula Vista, Calif., were her best jumps since 2018. That 6.80 has her tenth on World Athletics’ best list for 2022, but she needs a jump of 6.82 to qualify for worlds. She’s also just shy of making it to Eugene on world rankings points.
Nettey had a disappointing best of 6.48 at a meet in Poland on June 5, but posted a 6.69 on her second of six attempts to finish fifth at the Rome Diamond League event on June 9.
Nettey won the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto with a jump of 6.90 metres and was fourth at the 2015 world championships, extending out to 6.95 metres. But her two Olympics were hugely disappointing, failing to qualify for the finals in both 2016 and 2021 when the best she could do was 6.37 and 6.29.
“As athletes, we work so hard for this moment and it’s so disappointing to have a repeat performance of my previous Olympics,” Nettey said after failing to qualify for the final at Tokyo. “I feel like I came in a lot more prepared. I came in feeling really positive and fit, so I don’t really know what happened out there.”
She’s always enjoyed jumping at home in front of friends and family, with a Swangard Stadium best of 6.86 in 2015, so hopefully the good vibes in Burnaby will help her qualify for worlds.
Tickets to the meet are now available online at www.harryjerome.com
For more information contact
Nigel Hole, meet director
778-891-9350
Marek Jedrzejek, president Achilles Track and Field Society
Gary Kingston, media co-ordinator
604-329-2104
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