Timber Creek senior Jaden Johnson soared 46-5 ¼ to win the triple jump Monday night at the SJTCA meet at Ocean Breeze.
That’s No. 7 in South Jersey history and breaks the Timber Creek school record of 44-9 ½ set at the 2012 Varsity Classic at the Armory.
Johnson’s previous PR was a 45-1 at the Ocean Breeze Freedom Games, where he placed second to Lumberton’s Greg Foster of Lawrenceville School with a 45-1. Foster won the event with a 47-8 ½.
Foster and Johnson rank No. 1 and 2 in New Jersey this year and No. 13 and No. 25 nationally according to the MileSplit U.S. performance list.
This was only Johnson’s second triple jump competition this year. He brought PRs of 46-0 outdoors and 45-1 indoors with him from Sterling, where he competed as a junior.
Johnson fouled on his first jump, then hit 46-5 ¼ and 45-4 ¾ on his next two attempts before fouling on his final jump.
Senior teammate Chace Pearson placed second with a 43-3 ¾ in his first indoor triple jump competition ever. He’s now No. 8 in the state this year and No. 3 in New Jersey. Pearson has an outdoor PR of 45-4.
Johnson also won the high jump at 6-2. He’s cleared either 6-2 or 6-4 in all five meets he’s entered this winter.
All-time South Jersey indoor triple jump list
49- 1 …..… Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2018
48- 9 …..… Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2013
48- 8 ½ … Tristan Wilson [Delsea], 2014
48- 1 ¼ … Wayne Walls [Camden], 2009
47- 3 …..… Rhodeni Spence [Woodrow Wilson], 2007
46-10 ¾ … Floyd Whitaker [Highland], 2020
46-5 ¼ … Jaden Johnson [Timber Creek], 2022
46- 5 …….. Orion Joyner [Kingsway], 2019
46- 3 ½ … Keon Grady [Delsea], 2018
45-10 …..… Kevin Kevelier [Collingswood], 2020
45- 3 ½ … Zakiyy Williams [Rancocas Valley], 2015
45- 0 …….. Earnest Daniel [Kingsway], 2017
44-11 … Devon Carter [Washington Twp.], 2010
44-9 ½ … Josh Gray [Timber Creek], 2012
44-9 ¼ … Carl Smith [Camden], 2005
44-6 ¾ … Kyle Bryant [Cherry Hill East], 2013
44-3 … Ebeneezer Edzii [Millville], 2019
44-1 ¾ … Jordan Floyd [Rancocas Valley], 2020
44-0 … Dejon Sullivan [Camden], 2014
All-time New Jersey indoor triple jump list
49- 7 1/2 … Jon Pitt [South Brunswick], 2013
49- 6 1/2 … Craig Halyard [Ridgewood], 1989
49- 6 1/2 … Eric Bethea [Piscataway], 2015
49- 5 1/4 … Dodley Thermitus [Elizabeth], 2017
49- 1 …..… Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2018
48- 9 …..… Dominique Irons [Haddon Heights], 2013
48- 8 3/4 … Devon Bond [Trenton], 2007
48- 8 1/2 … Tristan Wilson [Delsea], 2014
48- 7 1/2 … Myles Hartsfield [Sayreville], 2015
48- 6 1/4 … Darius Pemberton [Hackensack], 1992
48- 5 1/4 … Ralston Braithwaite [Trenton], 2008
48- 0 1/2 … Kyle Lindsay [Paterson East Side], 2006
48- 1 1/4 … Wayne Walls [Camden], 2009
47-11 …….. Nadale Buntin [J.P. Stevens], 2018
47-10 …….. Devon Bond [Trenton], 2007
47- 9 …….. Anthony DiCosmo [Paramus Catholic], 1995
47- 7 1/4 … Kevin Johnson [Seton Hall Prep], 1984
47- 6 3/4 … Ed Alston [Hackensack], 1982
47- 5 …….. Jason Katz [Ramapo], 2015
47- 3 …..… Rhodeni Spence [Woodrow Wilson], 2007
47- 2 …….. Tevin Ankle [Glen Rock], 2010
46-10 3/4 … Floyd Whitaker [Highland], 2020
46-10 1/4 … Weston Daniel [Bergenfield], 2002
46-10 …….. Jamal Bunum [Middletown North], 2012
46- 7 …….. Dean Uduh [Columbia], 2014
46- 6 1/2 … Marko Juntunen [Mount Olive], 1984
46- 6 1/4 … Greg Hazell [Don Bosco], 2011
46- 6 …….. Neal Okarter [Westwood], 1998
46- 5 1/2 … John Augustynowicz [Rutherford], 2000
46-5 ¼ … Jaden Johnson [Timber Creek], 2022
46- 5 …….. Orion Joyner [Kingsway], 2019
46- 4 3/4 … Aaron King [Morris Hills], 2007
46- 3 1/2 … Keon Grady [Delsea], 2018
46- 0 1/2 … Chris Thomas [Pope John XXIII], 2008
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 