Whatever he jumped Tuesday was going to be an indoor long jump PR for Christian Langston because he had never competed in an indoor long jump before.
Turned out to be not only a PR but the No. 10 jump in the state this year.
Langston won the long jump at the Rebel Shot / Jump Series No. 1 at the Bubble with a 21-3 ¼, which was a nearly two-foot PR for the Delsea junior.
He had only long jumped three times as a sophomore with a best of 19-6 ¾ at the Red & Black Invitational in East Stroudsburg in April.
He did have a promising season as a quarter-miler, dropping his 400 PR from 55.90 as a freshman to 51.52 for 7th at Group 3 sectionals on his home track. That made him the No. 4 sophomore in South Jersey.
Unfortunately, no series information is available, but Langston won the long jump by more than a foot over Tony Brinson of Central Regional, who placed 2nd at 20-2 ½.
Langston’s 21-3 ¼ is No. 3 among New Jersey underclassmen and trails Egg Harbor senior Ahmad Fogg [22-3 ½] and Mainland senior William Murray [21-10] on the 2023 South Jersey indoor list.
Langston’s mark is No. 11 in Gloucester County indoor history, just three inches outside the top 10:
23-7 ¾ … Anthony Averett [Woodbury], 2012
23-4 ½ … Maurice Hunter [Woodbury], 1983
22-9 ¼ … Shai Mumford [West Deptford], 2013
22-7 ¼ … Keon Grady [Delsea], 2017
22-5 ¾ … Khaliel Burnett [Delsea], 2018
22-2 … Adwon Parker [West Deptford], 2006
22-0 … Damir Lomax [Delsea], 2020
21-8 … Ferrell Cooper [West Deptford], 2011
21-6 ½ … Craig Howard [Washington Twp.], 1998
21-6 ½ … Mel Colvin [Delsea], 1999
21-3 ¼ … Christian Langston [Delsea], 2023
21-2 … Brandon Greene [Washington Twp.], 2019
21-1 ½ … Enis Hutchinson [Glassboro], 2014
21-0 … Raekwon Little-Martin [Williamstown], 2014
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 