Will Claye

Will Claye (born June 13, 1991) is an American track and field athlete of Sierra Leonean descent who competes in the long jump and triple jump. He won a bronze medal in 2011 World Championships in Athletics and the gold medals at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships and 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships. In his Olympic debut at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Claye won a bronze medal in long jump and a silver medal in triple jump.[2][3] He repeated his silver medal in the triple jump four years later. His personal best of 18.14 m (59 ft 6 in), set at the Jim Bush Southern California USATF Championships in Long Beach on June 29, 2019 ranks him as the No. 3 triple jumper of all time.

Will Claye
Claye at the 2011 World Championships Athletics in Daegu.
Personal information
National team United States
Born (1991-06-13) June 13, 1991
Tucson, United States
Height5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight160 lb (73 kg)
Sport
SportTrack and field
Event(s)Triple jump, long jump
College teamUniversity of Florida
Turned pro2012
Coached byJeremy Fischer[1]
Medal record
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 0 2 1
World Championships 0 2 2
World Indoor Championships 2 0 0
Total 2 4 3
Olympic Games
2012 LondonTriple jump
2016 Rio de JaneiroTriple jump
2012 LondonLong jump
World Championships
2017 LondonTriple jump
2019 DohaTriple jump
2011 DaeguTriple jump
2013 MoscowTriple jump
World Indoor Championships
2018 BirminghamTriple jump
2012 IstanbulTriple jump

Will was two-time Arizona Interscholastic Association high school champion in the triple jump, establishing a new state record of over 50 feet. He attended Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, Arizona, where he was named to the 2008 USA Today's All-USA Team in both jumps.[4] Claye enrolled early at the University of Oklahoma, but later transferred to the University of Florida.

Will Claye later went on to record the rap song "IDGAF" with YG.

Career

College career

While attending the University of Oklahoma, Claye competed for the Oklahoma Sooners men's track and field team. He won the 2009 NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship in the triple jump on his 18th birthday, establishing a new American junior record of 56 ft 4.75 in (17.19 m). During his second year at Oklahoma, Claye's performance dropped off due to stress fractures in his back and leg.[5] After the 2010 outdoor season, he transferred to the University of Florida to join defending outdoor champion Christian Taylor and training under legendary jumps coach Dick Booth. The collegiate 2011 indoor season was capped by Florida winning the NCAA Indoor National Championship, thanks to Coach Booth's jumpers scoring 30 of the Gators' 52 points, led by Claye's national title in the triple jump and his runner-up finish in the long jump.

Claye finished second at the 2011 NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships behind Taylor.[6] The two went on to finish in the same order at the 2011 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.[7] Claye finished his collegiate career at Florida, after his junior year, ending with eight "All American" honors and with two NCAA titles (the 2009 outdoor triple jump title and the 2011 indoor title); he won both the triple and long jumps at the 2011 SEC Championships.

2011 World Championships

In 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, South Korea, Claye was 9th in long jump and 3rd in triple jump.[8] Claye, and Gator teammate Christian Taylor, withdrew from the University of Florida after the 2011 Worlds, and turned professional in order to concentrate on preparing for the 2012 London Olympics.[9] He is sponsored by Nike and is training under the direction of Martin Smith.

2012 Olympic Year

Claye established the early, indoor season, leading mark in the triple jump of 57 ft 0.75 in (17.39 m) at the 2012 Tyson Invitational on February 11 in Fayetteville, Arkansas (his only valid jump in the elite competition). At the 2012 USA Indoor Championships in February Claye not only won the triple jump, but he exceeded 57 feet on 3 consecutive jumps, finishing with a world-leading mark of 57 ft 10.25 in (17.63 m). In addition, Claye finished second in the long jump with a mark of 26 ft 3.75 in (8.02 m). He went on to claim his first world title at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships. He won the triple jump ahead of Christian Taylor with a clearance of 17.70 m and also placed fourth in the long jump.[10] In the outdoor season, he began with runner-up finishes at both the Shanghai and Eugene legs of the 2012 Diamond League.[11]

At the 2012 London Olympics Claye first won the bronze medal in long jump, then followed up by winning the silver medal in triple jump five days later.[2] He is the first man to win medals in both the long and triple jumps at the same Olympics since Naoto Tajima of Japan at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics.[12]

2013 World Championships

In 2013 World Championships in Athletics in Moscow, Claye Triple jumped 17.52 m (57 ft 5 3⁄4 in) (Wind: +0.5 m/s).

2015 World Championships

In 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing, Claye Triple jumped 16.41 m (53 ft 10 in) (Wind: +0.2 m/s).

2016 Olympic Year

In Summer Olympics, Claye Triple jumped 17.76 m (58 ft 3 in) (Wind: +0.4 m/s) to earn a silver medal.

Major competition record
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing the  United States
2009 Pan American Junior Championships Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago 1st Triple jump 16.57 m
2011 World Championships Daegu, South Korea 9th Long jump 8.10 m
3rd Triple jump 17.50 m
2012 World Indoor Championships Istanbul, Turkey 4th Long jump 8.04 m
1st Triple jump 17.70 m
Olympic Games London, United Kingdom 3rd Long jump 8.12 m
2nd Triple jump 17.62 m
2013 World Championships Moscow, Russia 3rd Triple jump 17.52 m
2015 World Championships Beijing, China 19th (q) Triple jump 16.41 m
2016 Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2nd Triple jump 17.76 m
2017 World Championships London, United Kingdom 2nd Triple jump 17.63 m
2018 World Indoor Championships Birmingham, United Kingdom 1st Triple jump 17.43 m
2019 World Championships Doha, Qatar 2nd Triple jump 17.74 m

USA National Track and field Championships
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
2018 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships Albuquerque Convention Center Albuquerque, New Mexico 1st Triple jump 17.28 m (56 ft 8 1⁄4 in)[13]
2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Sacramento, California 1st Triple jump 17.91 m (58 ft 9 in)
2016 USA Olympic Trials Eugene, Oregon 3rd Long jump 8.42 m (27 ft 7 1⁄4 in)[14]
2016 USA Olympic Trials Eugene, Oregon 1st Triple jump 17.65 m (57 ft 10 3⁄4 in)[15]
2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Eugene, Oregon 2nd Triple jump 17.48 m (57 ft 4 in)[16]
2015 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships Reggie Lewis Center Boston, MA DNS Triple jump DNS[17]
2014 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Hornet Stadium (Sacramento) Sacramento, California 1st Triple jump 17.75 m (58 ft 2 3⁄4 in)[18]
2014 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships Albuquerque Convention Center Albuquerque, New Mexico 5th Long jump 7.83 m (25 ft 8 1⁄4 in)[19]
2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Drake Stadium, Des Moines, Iowa 7th Long jump 8.05 m (26 ft 4 3⁄4 in)[20]
2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Drake Stadium, Des Moines, Iowa 2nd Triple jump 17.04 m (55 ft 10 3⁄4 in)[20]
2012 USA Track and Field Olympic Trials Hayward Field Eugene, Oregon 2nd Triple jump 17.55 m (57 ft 6 3⁄4 in)[21]
2012 USA Track and Field Olympic Trials Hayward Field Eugene, Oregon 2nd Long jump 8.23 m (27 ft 0 in)[21]
2012 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships Albuquerque Convention Center Albuquerque, New Mexico 1st Triple jump 17.63 m (57 ft 10 in)[22]
2012 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships Albuquerque Convention Center Albuquerque, New Mexico 1st Long jump 8.02 m (26 ft 3 1⁄2 in)[22]
2011 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon 2nd Triple jump 17.09 m (56 ft 3⁄4 in)[23]
2011 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon 2nd Long jump 8.19 m (26 ft 10 1⁄4 in)[23]
2009 USA Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon 2nd Long jump 7.80 m (25 ft 7 in)[24]
2009 USA Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon 1st Triple jump 17.14 m (56 ft 2 3⁄4 in)[24]
2008 USA Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Columbus, Ohio DNS Triple jump DNS[25]
2008 USA Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Columbus, Ohio DNS Long jump DNS[26]

Personal bests
Event Best (m) Venue Date
Triple jump (outdoor)18.14Long Beach, United StatesJune 29, 2019
Triple jump (indoor)17.70Istanbul, TurkeyMarch 11, 2012
Long jump (outdoor)8.29Athens, GeorgiaMay 14, 2011
Long jump (indoor)8.24Fayetteville, ArkansasFebruary 10, 2012
  • All information taken from IAAF profile.

See also

References
  1. "Will Claye". usatf.org. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  2. Robert Booth (August 10, 2012). "London 2012: Christian Taylor holds off Will Claye for triple jump gold". The Guardian. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
  3. "THE JONAH KERI PODCAST #43: WILL CLAYE". nerdist.com. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  4. "Will Claye". Soonersports. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  5. "21 January 2011 "Triple Threat: Taylor, Claye and Craddock Give UF Elite Jumps Group"". Gatorsports. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
  6. "Christian Taylor Will Claye: Florida's Christian Taylor, Will Claye turn pro — Orlando Sentinel". Articles.orlandosentinel.com. August 10, 2011. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
  7. "Events – 2011 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships". USATF. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
  8. "Christian Taylor wins men's triple jump at worlds". Yahoo. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
  9. "10 August 2011 "UF jumpers Christian Taylor, Will Claye turn pro"". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
  10. EVENT REPORT – Men's Triple Jump – Final. IAAF (March 11, 2012). Retrieved on 2012-06-02.
  11. Gains, Paul (June 2, 2012). Dibaba 30:24.39 and Kiprop 27:01.98 on stunning but wet first night in Eugene – Samsung Diamond League. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-06-03.
  12. Metcalfe, Jeff (August 9, 2012). "Phoenix's Will Claye earns Olympic silver medal in triple jump to go with bronze in long jump". Arizona Republic. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
  13. "USA Track & Field – Results – Full". Usatf.org. February 18, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  14. "2016 USA Track & Field – Results – Full". Usatf.org. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  15. "2016 USA Track & Field – Results – Full". Usatf.org. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  16. "USA Track & Field – Results – Full". Usatf.org. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  17. "USA Track & Field – Results – Men Triple Jump". FlashResults. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  18. "USA Track & Field – Results – Full". Usatf.org. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  19. "USA Track & Field – Results – Full". Usatf.org. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  20. "USA Track & Field – Results – Full". Usatf.org. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  21. "USA Track & Field – Results – Full". Usatf.org. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  22. "USA Track & Field – Results – Full". Usatf.org. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  23. "USA Track & Field – Results – Full". Usatf.org. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  24. "USA Track & Field – Results – Full". Usatf.org. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  25. "USA Track & Field – Results – Full". Usatf.org. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  26. "USA Track & Field – Results – Full". Usatf.org. Retrieved November 10, 2015.


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