Sport Athletics Coached by Petros Kyprianou Weight 61 kg Parents Nicole Orji, Anthony Orji | College team Georgia Bulldogs Height 1.66 m Event Triple jump | |
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Born March 5, 1996 (age 21) ( 1996-03-05 ) Hoboken, New Jersey Residence Mount Olive, New Jersey, United States Education Mount Olive High School, University of Georgia Profiles | ||
Keturah orji 2016 usa olympic trials day 7
Keturah Orji (born March 5, 1996) is an American track and field athlete specializing in the triple jump. Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, Orji grew up in Mount Olive Township, New Jersey and graduated from Mount Olive High School in 2014.
Contents
Career
Orji was recognized as one of three finalists for The Bowerman Award presented by USTFCCCA, the highest collegiate honor in track and field, December 16, 2016 on Friday night in Orlando after being honored by the Southeastern Conference outdoor Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Mount Olive Superintendent Larrie Reynolds presented Orji with a plaque on Monday night, at a meeting which also acknowledged all fall athletes in the district. She was also presented with a "key to the city" at a township council workshop meeting on Tuesday night.
Keturah Orji triple jumped 14.71 m (48 ft 3 in) American record at Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's triple jump to place fourth.
Orji joined Team USA teammate Andrea Geubelle as the only two with 2016 Olympic Standard at 2016 United States Olympic Trials (track and field) and will represent United States at Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics and in the fifth round the pair were joined by Christina Epps who jumped the 2016 Olympic Standard to form a trio for Rio.
She represented her country at the 2016 World Indoor Championships finishing fourth. She set the American record at 14.53 m (47 ft 8 in) while winning the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Orji set the triple jump American Junior record at 14.15 m (46 ft 5 in) while winning the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Personal bests
Outdoor
Indoor
NCAA
Orji won her fifth SEC Title jumping 14.32 m (46 ft 11 3⁄4 in) at Vanderbilt University at the 2017 SEC Indoor track and field championships where she set SEC, college, NCAA Division I, and American records surpassing 1996 US Olympian and 10 time USATF national champion Sheila Hudson.
Orji won fan vote for 2015-2016 Bowerman Award. The Bowerman award is collegiate track & field’s highest individual honor.
Orji won 2016 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships triple jump and placed 6th in long jump.
Orji has been named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year in 2015-2016.
Orji was named the 2016 Southeastern Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year as well as the SEC Field Athlete of the Year.
Orji won 2015 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships triple jump setting an American junior record and placed 7th in long jump.
Prep
Orji is a 2014 gradate of Mount Olive High School (New Jersey) in Flanders.
Orji had a high school personal best triple jump of 44 feet 11 inches
Orji defended her New Jersey Meet of Champions Triple jump crown, set a New Jersey state record with a 42-6 1/2 and improved on the Morris County long jump record of 20-2 in 2013.
Orji won the 2013-2014 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association girls track and field Gatorade Player of the Year awards.
Orji credits doing gymnastics when she was young for part of her early success. In 2010, Orji was a level 8 gymnast at Giant Gymnastics, Inc. in Hackettstown, New Jersey. At the 2010 New Jersey state championships, she performed the All-Around (Vault, Bars, Beam and Floor). Orji wanted to become an Olympic gymnast as a youth.