Tireless Rancocas Valley junior Lauren Fadairo swept the three jumps Saturday at the Burlington County Open, becoming the first girl to record that unique triple at a County Open.
Fadairo won the long jump with a 16-9 ¾ jump – just 2 ½ inches off her PR from last weekend’s South Jersey Open at Delsea – and won the triple jump at 35-11. She tied her high jump PR of 5-0, which she cleared this winter at the Bubble.
Moorestown sophomore I’Mara Ford placed 2nd in all three jumps.
Fadairo won the high jump on fewer misses. Fadairo clear 5-0 on her first attempt, Ford on her 2nd. Ford placed 2nd in the long jump with a 16-7 1/4 on her final jump and hit 35-4 1/4 for 2nd in the triple. Ford is the No. 2 soph in New Jersey in the triple jump with her 38-1 1/4 at the Lenape Invitational
Fadairo isn’t the first athlete to win the jumps triple. Seneca’s Drew Kanz did it in the 2009 boys meet with 20-10 ¾, 43-3 and a meet-record 7-1. He also won the 110-meter hurdles in 14.64 for the only quad win in meet history and one of the greatest single-day performances in South Jersey hsitory.
Fadairo joins two New Jersey track all-timers as only the third Rancocas Valley girl to triple at a County Open.
Tonya Lee, who competed in the intermediate hurdles in the 1996 Olympic Trials, recorded quad wins as a sophomore (1:03.4 intermediates, 15.8 highs, 5-4 high jump, 18-4 long jump) and junior (1:02.2, 15.3, 5-4, 17-7 ¼) and future WNBA star Demya Walker tripled the long jump, high jump and 100 (17-10 ½, 5-0, 12.2) in 1995.
Other R.V. girls who’ve doubled at the County Open: Sydnee Pierce in 2010 (100, long jump), Sheriyah Nutt in 2019 (100, 200) and Cecilia King this year (100 hurdles, 400 hurdles).
Rancocas Valley won its fifth consecutive County Open title. The meet wasn’t completed in 2018 and wasn’t held in 2020, so R.V. hasn’t lost a County Open since 2016, when they were 2nd to Lenape.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 