Brigetta Barrett celebrates with typical enthusiasm after setting the collegiate high jump record. Photo by Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
It was only a matter of time.
Arizona senior Brigetta Barrett won a high jump silver medal in the 2012 London Olympics with a leap of 6 feet, 8 inches (2.03 meters). That didn’t count as the collegiate record, though, because it didn’t come during an NCAA competition.
Like I said, just a matter of time.
Barrett has been working her into peak form again, and she knocked down the collegiate record Saturday while going over the bar at 6-6.25 feet (1.99 meters) at the Pac-12 championships in Los Angeles.
“Last year I broke the collegiate record but since I did not do it in a collegiate meet, it didn’t count,” she said in press release from Arizona. “I felt I deserved it but I had to wait for God’s time.”
Barrett won her third consecutive Pac-12 high jump title, an almost certain precursor to a third consecutive NCAA championship. She is a three-time NCAA indoor champion.
The former college record was 6-6, held by UCLA’s Amy Acuff, SMU’s Kajsa Bergqvist and Texas’ Destinee Hooker. Acuff was one of Barrett’s Olympic teammates.
“Sorry, Amy Acuff,” Barrett said with a big smile in this video interview at Pac-12.com. “It was coming down. Time to pass the torch. Thanks for letting me have it.”
Elsewhere at the Pac-12 championships, Arizona junior Julie Labonté won her third conference title in the shot put with a toss of 57-0.25 (17.38m). Senior Jen Bergman won the 10,000-meter race (34:17.09). And junior Lawi Lalang won the men’s 10K in a time of 28:14.63. He has two conference titles at 1,500 meters and will compete in Sunday’s final in that event.
Brigetta Barrett clears 6-6.25 feet. Photo by Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports