she nears the top of her brilliant career, long jumper Brittney Reese is decided to travel out on top. The former Ole Miss standout from Gulfport earned her fourth career Olympic berth with ease on Saturday at the U.S. Olympic Trials. “This is going to be my last Olympic Trials, then my last Olympics, so I just came out here to measure within the moment, have fun, and that I did exactly what I wanted to try to – make the team,” said the 34-year-old Reese, a two-time NCAA champion at Ole Miss. “It’s bittersweet, but my time has come. this is often my fourth team. I’m really excited about it, and that I just want to travel out with a bang.” The Tokyo Olympic berth represents her 13th career national title, with nine of these coming outdoors.
Reese finished fourth within the 2008 Beijing Olympics right out of school before winning gold in London in 2012 and silver in Rio in 2016. She also has seven world championship gold medals. “I still am one among the simplest women’s long jumpers during this world,” Reese said. “I will prove it again, and that I have, time and time again.” There was no argument on Saturday, as she uncorked three-straight 7-meter jumps within the final three rounds – including a season-best 7.13-meter (23 feet, 4.75 inches) effort that was her best jump since 2017. The runner-up, reigning NCAA champion Tara Davis of Texas, was quite three inches behind Reese at 7.04m (23-01.25).
Reese is among just four women in American history to qualify for the Olympics within the long jump fourfold alongside legendary athletes Willye White (five times, 1956-72), Martha Rae Watson (four times, 1964-76), and Jackie Joyner-Kersee (four times, 1984-96). According to the newest posted schedule, women’s long jump qualifying will begin in Tokyo on Aug. 1. The finals are going to be two days later. Former Ole Miss champion vaulter Sam Kendricks, who’s from Oxford, earned his second-consecutive Olympic team berth earlier within the week.
