Nairn breaks sands’ national indoor record

Ever since he was a junior, LaQuan Nairn has showed promise as a jumper, one capable of making great strides for The Bahamas.

Now in his 25th year of life, celebrating a quarter of a century in July, the talented Bahamian is living up to the lofty expectations that has followed him for his entire athletic career.

The Arkansas Razorbacks’ redshirt senior, only competing outdoors collegiately, was nearly half of a foot over his previous personal best, leaping a massive 8.16 meters (m) – 26’ 9-1/4” at the American Track League Meet #3 at the Randall Tyson Track Center, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Sunday.

Nairn’s previous personal best was 8.02m (26’ 3-3/4”) for the silver medal at the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Indoor Track and Field Championships last season, making him just the second Bahamian to surpass the gold standard of eight meters indoors (26’ 3)- the other being the guy whose national indoor record he broke on Sunday, ‘Superman’ Leevan Sands.

Sands’ national indoor mark of 8.10m (26’ 7”) stood for nearly 17 years before Nairn took to the runway on Sunday. Remarkably, Nairn had a series of huge jumps, producing three over eight meters. His national record leap of 8.16m came on his second attempt after fouling his first jump, and was good enough for second in the competition. Nairn jumped 8.04m (26’ 4-1/2”) on his third attempt, fouled on his fourth and fifth jumps, and then produced a 8.09m (26’ 6-1/2”) on his sixth and final attempt after former World Indoor Champion Marquis Dendy of the United States flew a world-leading 8.21m (26’ 11-1/4”) on his last jump.

“I fouled my first jump and my coach [Arkansas Assistant Coach Mario Sategna] just told me to go back half a foot,” said Nairn on the Razorbacks’ website. “I set it up the right way. My fourth jump was actually my furthest jump, but it was a foul. That will come with more practice and being able to listen to what my coach is telling me to do… just being observant as a jumper. I’m just focused on getting better each day and staying focused on my goals that me and my coach have set for the season.”

Dendy snatched victory away from Nairn, the Bahamian settled for second, and American Charles Brown was a distant third with a best leap of 7.81m (25’ 7-1/2”). Jamaican Damar Forbes was fourth with a best leap of 7.70m (25’ 3-1/4”).

As for Nairn, his new national indoor record is the fourth best jump in the world this year and just six centimeters off the automatic qualifying mark for the Olympic Games – 8.22m (26’ 11-3/4”). The former St. John’s College standout, who had a progressive career at Arkansas, is certainly on the rise.

Outdoors, he is just as talented, on the verge of passing the eight meters mark. Nairn has a personal best leap of 7.83m (25’ 8-1/4”) outdoors, but has leapt a windy 7.97m (26’ 1-3/4”). The national record outdoors is 8.41m (27’ 7-1/4”) set by Craig Hepburn in June of 1993. Just six Bahamians have jumped in excess of eight meters outdoors – Hepburn (8.41m), Osbourne Moxey (8.19m – 26’ 10-1/2”), Raymond Higgs (8.15m – 26’ 9”), Sands (8.13m – 26’ 8-1/4”) Rudon Bastian (8.12m – 26’ 7-3/4”) and the late Joey Wells (8.04m – 26’ 4-1/2”).

Nairn, who also excels in the high and triple jump events, is looking to become the seventh Bahamian to qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games in athletics, joining Shaunae Miller-Uibo who has qualified in the women’s 100, 200 and 400m, Steven Gardiner who has qualified in the men’s 200 and 400m, Tynia Gaither who has qualified in the women’s 100 and 200m, Samson Colebrooke who has qualified in the men’s 100m, Pedrya Seymour who has qualified in the women’s 100m hurdles and Jamal Wilson who has qualified in the men’s high jump.

After breaking Sands’ national mark, Nairn acknowledged that the work he is putting in is paying off. His leap on Sunday came in his first meet in almost a year.

“Not competing in almost a year is tough, but I’ve been putting in a lot of work,” said Nairn. “I’m more disciplined and a better listener. I started to value my coaches and my trainers, and everybody at this university more and more each day, so, that played a huge part in me coming out and competing and performing the way I did.”

Sands set the former national record at the SEC Championships in Lexington, Kentucky, in February of 2004, and it was at the SEC Championships last year when Nairn surpassed eight meters indoors for the first time.

The new Bahamian national record holder has competed in just one other meet this year, running the 60m indoors at the American Track League Meet #2 at the end of January, showing his versatility by clocking 6.92 seconds.

The American Track League Meet #4, originally scheduled for Sunday February 14, will now take place on Sunday February 21.

The post Nairn breaks sands’ national indoor record appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/nairn-breaks-sands-national-indoor-record/