Brigetta Barrett celebrates after clearing 6 feet, 8.25 inches. Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
The unstoppable Brigetta Barrett.
After winning an Olympic high jump silver medal in last summer’s Olympics, then taking home NCAA titles in the indoor and outdoor seasons (her third time for each), setting the collegiate record with a leap of 6 feet, 6.25 inches and being chosen the Pac-12 Woman of the Year …
She’s now a U.S. champion.
Barrett, in her first competition after completing for eligibility with the Arizona Wildcats, won the high jump Saturday at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championship with a personal-best clearance of 6 feet, 8.25 inches (2.04 meters).
That is the second-best mark in U.S. history, a half-inch shy of the American record set by Chaunte Lowe in 2010.
“It was a great meet,” Barrett said in a release from Arizona.
“I was very happy with how I jumped. I wanted to keep going and break the American record but (Arizona assistant coach and Barrett’s personal coach) Sheldon (Blockburger) shut me down, which is fine, because the ultimate goal is to win at the World Championships.
“I feel great, I don’t have any pain in my body and I’m really happy with how everything went.”
Barrett will move on to the World Championships in Moscow, from August 10-18.
“She always gets it done,” said Arizona head coach Fred Harvey in a release.
“I’m very excited for her, she was awesome today. She managed everything extremely well; she got the crowd going and got everybody involved in the high jump competition. She represented herself, Arizona and now Nike really well. She did some great things at Arizona and what a great way to start her professional career heading into the World Championships.”
Brigetta Barrett on her way to being a U.S. champion on Saturday. Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images