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By MONICA IHEAKAM
Team Nigeria’s Triple and long Jump sensation, Ruth Usoro, has bagged double awards from the US Track &Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), after her historic jump marks.
Usoro, a two-time All-American and two-time Big 12 Champion in her first season in Lubbock last season, was named National Athlete of the Week awards for April from both the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association and the Big 12 Conference on Wednesday.
After taking the NCAA Indoor Championship in the triple jump in March, Usoro made her outdoor triple jump debut in spectacular fashion.
She broke the Nigerian record with the NCAA’s second-longest triple jump ever, landing a breathtaking mark of 46’-10.25” (14.28m) on her very first jump of the season.
Her performances were indeed landmarks in Nigerian athletics history as no athlete has ever qualified for the Olympic Games, both in the Long Jump and the Triple Jump.
Last Saturday, she broke the school’s triple jump record in her first appearance at the Fuller Track & Field.
The Texas Tech star went 47 feet, 7 inches in the triple jump on the final day of the Masked Rider Open, breaking the school, facility and Nigerian records.
During the indoor season, Usoro broke 46 feet four times, including a winning jump of 46-10 at the NCAA championships.
