College Jumper Breaks Two Records at Washington Meet

Emy Ntekpere walked into the University of Washington Preview on January 16 needing a good showing. She left with two broken records and the number one ranking in her division.

The Central Washington University track and field athlete cleared 1.79 meters in the high jump, breaking both her school's record and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference record. That mark put her at the top spot for high jump in all of NCAA Division II.

But Ntekpere wasn't done. She followed up by winning the triple jump with a leap of 12.54 meters, good enough for third place nationally. She capped her day with a fourth-place finish in the long jump at 5.68 meters.

"She was clean through 1.76 meters which was great, then went third attempt at 1.79," said CWU head coach Jonathan Hill. "It was awesome to see her overcome some stress and put together one of the best technical jumps of her career."

The performance earned Ntekpere her sixth career Athlete of the Week honor from the GNAC. Her triple jump victory came against Big 10 competition, showing she can compete beyond her conference level.

Ntekpere's success reflects years of technical refinement and mental preparation. Competing in three different jumping events in one meet requires not just physical versatility but also the ability to reset mentally between competitions.

Why This Inspires

What makes Ntekpere's achievement special isn't just the records or the rankings. It's watching an athlete peak at exactly the right moment, showing that consistency and preparation create opportunities for breakthrough performances.

Her coach mentioned overcoming stress during the high jump attempts, a reminder that even record-breaking moments require pushing through doubt. That third and final attempt at 1.79 meters could have been a miss, but instead became history.

The Wildcats head to Albuquerque next for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational, where Ntekpere will look to build on her momentum. If this weekend showed anything, it's that she's just getting started.