Freshman Breaks 43-Year High Jump Record at 5-Foot-8

When Emma Tuwei cleared 5-foot-8 at the Minnesota state track meet this June, she didn't just win a championship. The Mankato West freshman broke a school record that had stood since 1983, set by a young athlete named Cheri Hanson.

Hanson learned the news from a coworker at Mankato Clinic, where she's worked as a nurse for nearly 40 years. Dr. Kara Sullivan broke it gently, saying she was "sorry" to share that someone had finally topped Hanson's mark.

But Hanson wasn't sorry at all. She was only surprised it had taken so long.

"My kids went to West and they'd sometimes say, 'Your name's still up on the wall,'" the 61-year-old laughed. Over the years, her other relay records had fallen, but the high jump stayed untouched for four decades.

The story gets better. When the two athletes met recently to compare their championship medals, they embraced like old friends. Hanson shared video of Tuwei's winning jump on Facebook, celebrating the teen who finally broke through.

What makes this extra special? Tuwei, who stands just 5-foot-2, cleared a bar six inches taller than herself. Coach Toryn Richards knew she was ready the moment he saw her face at the meet.

"You could see by Emma's face and composure that she came ready to compete and win," Richards said. "She truly believed she was going to clear 5-foot-8, and she did."

Why This Inspires

Both athletes share something beyond talent: they're coachable, competitive, and kind. Tuwei's former coach Jim Bassett described her predecessor Hanson the same way Richards now describes Tuwei: eager to learn, always positive, never afraid to try.

Hanson won back-to-back state championships in 1981 and 1982, then took bronze as a senior. She even set the Minnesota State University women's record at 5-foot-8 in her only college season. Tuwei, who also excels in gymnastics and sprinting, has three more years to chase that legacy.

The real win here isn't just about records. It's about two generations of female athletes supporting each other across 43 years. Hanson could have been territorial about her long-standing record, but instead she showed up with her medals and her smile, passing the torch with grace.

Tuwei felt the love from the crowd at St. Michael-Albertville when she landed that jump. "There were a lot of people cheering in the stands and it felt awesome," she said.

Records are made to be broken, but the way these two athletes honored each other shows that some things matter more than heights cleared.