From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Ocean City junior Sophia Curtis surpassed the 40-foot barrier for the 5th time this year and won the Meet of Champions triple jump title with a leap 40-7 ½ at Franklin High Thursday.

Curtis, the No. 2 seed in the 400-meter intermediates at 1:00.42, skipped the 400 hurdles to focus on the triple jump with the hurdles Friday at Franklin Field Nationals.

Although her series info isn’t available – and seriously, what timing company in this day and age can’t provide field event series info? That’s pathetic – we do know Curtis won by more than a foot over Morris Hills senior Adannia Agbo, who jumped 39-3 ¾. Alexandra Bonn of Union Catholic – who edged Curtis to win the indoor MoC and was also the defending outdoor champ – finished 3rd with a 39-3. Winslow’s Ma’Syiah Brawner, the state freshman record holder at 39-5 ½, placed 4th at 38-11 ¾.

Curtis, who spent her first two years at Padua Academy in Wilmington, Del., fell just short of her outdoor PR of 40-10 ¼ from the Penn Relays. She jumped 41-3 ¼ at Boston Nationals indoors, a South Jersey indoor record and No. 2 in state history. She’s entered in both the intermediates and triple jump at Franklin Field Nationals.

The only jumpers in Meet of Champions history who’ve gone farther than 40-7 ½ are former American record holder Keturah Orji of Mount Olive [44-1 ¼ in 2014, 42-6 ½ in 2013] and Atlantic City’s Claudine Smith [42-2 in 2019. Mahogany Jenkins of Watchung Hills also jumped 41-7 ½ in 2019.

Curtis is the 5th South Jersey girl to win the Meet of Champions triple jump since it was added in 2000. Thananya Wooden of Pennsauken won the inaugural triple jump in 2000 [36-9] and Shameka Marshall of Oakcrest won a year later [38-10 ¾]. Jessica Mills of West Deptford [39-6 in 2005], Smith in 2019 and Egg Harbor’s Mariah Stephens in 2021 [37-10 ¼].

Here’s a look at the all-time Meet of Champions performance list:

44-1 ¼ Keturah Orji [Mount Olive], 2014 [1]
42-6 ½ ….. Orji, 2013 [1]
42-2 … Claudine Smith [Atlantic City], 2019 [1]
41-7 ½ … Mahogany Jenkins [Watchung Hills], 2019 [2]
41-0 ½ ….. Orji, 2012 [1]
40-7 ½ … Sophia Curtis [Ocean City], 2023
40-7 … Shanai Heber [Paterson Kennedy], 2008 [1]
40-5 … Iana Amsterdam [Newark Tech], 2013 [2]
40-3 … Kayla Richardson [Columbia], 2014 [2]
40-2 … Tiffany Bautista [Paramus Catholic], 2018 [1]
40-1 ½ … Ebony Young [Hillsborough], 2009 [1]
40-0 ½ ….. Amsterdam, 2012 [2]
40-0 … Ada Unachukwu [Marlboro], 2008 [2]
39-10 ¾ … Kaitlyn Salisbury [Hawthorne], 2016 [1]
39-10 ….. Bautista, 2019 [3]
39-9 … Stephanie McIntyre [South Brunswick], 2007 [1]
39-9 … Bonvie Fosam [Robbinsville], 2017 [1]
39-8 ¾ … Gena Pickett [Mahwah], 2012 [3]
39-8 ½ ….. Unachukwu, 2009 [2]
39-7 ¼ Shaya Wilkerson [Lenape], 2012 [4]
39-7 ¼ Samantha Lopes [Wallkill Valley], 2017 [2]
39-7 ….… Salisbury, 2015 [1]
39-7 … Kathryn Brown [Kinnelon], 2019 [4]
39-6 ¾ … Nnenna Ibe [North Brunswick], 2015 [2]
39-6 … Jessica Mills [West Deptford], 2005 [1]
39-5 ½ … Liz Montague [Cherokee], 2014 [3]
39-4 ¾ … Mahogany Jenkins [Watchung Hills], 2018 [2]
39-4 ½ … Eiloghosa Ewere [Hillsborough], 2011 [2]
39-4 … Adefunke Sonaike [Montgomery], 2010 [1]
39-4 ….. Fosam, 2016 [2]
39-3 ¾ … Adannia Agbo [Morris Hills], 2023 [2]
39-3 ½ Kaylee Stenderowicz [Kittatinny], 2019 [5]
39-3 … Alexandera Bonn [Union Catholic], 2023 [3]
39-2 ¼ … Mariah Hubbard [Absegami], 2016 [3]
39-2 … Essence Mayers [Lakewood], 2011 [3]
39-1 ¾ … Jamina Morris [J.P. Stevens], 2016 [4]
39-1 ½ … Adefunke Sonaike [Montgomery], 2012 [5]
39-0 ¼ … Alicia Gupte [Montville], 2018 [3]
39-0 ….. Wilkerson, 2011 [4]
38-11 ¾ … Ma’Syiah Brawner [Winslow Twp.], 2023 [4]
38-11 ½ … Stephanie McIntyre [South Brunswick], 2006 [1]
38-11 ¼ … Ashley Edwards [Northern Burlington], 2014 [4]
38-11 ¼ … Lauren Stern [Mahwah], 2018 [4]
38-11 ¼ … Aytunde Folawewo [Toms River North], 2023 [5]
38-11 … Ashley Edwards [Northern Burlington], 2015 [3]
38-7 ¾ … Morgan Summer [Mount Olive], 2023 [6]
38-6 ½ ….. Jenkins, 2017 [3]
38-6 ¼ … Rosie Menyhert [[Hillsborough], 2015 [5]
38-9 ¼ ….. Young, 2008 [3]
38-9 … Christina Epps [Morristown], 2009 [3]
38-8 ½ … Bryanna Grant [Cranford], 2013 [3]
38-8 … Shameka Speed [Bridgeton], 2001 [1]
38-8 … Javona Ford [Millville], 2010 [2]
38-7 ¾ … Adrienne Williams [Notre Dame], 2011 [5]
38-6 ½ … Regine Hunter [Cranford], 2013 [4]
38-6 ½ … Emily Vargas [Johnson], 2009 [4]
38-6 ¾ … Zia Barr [Teaneck], 2018 [5]
38-6 ¾ …….. Bonn [Union Catholic], 2022 [1]
38-5 ¾ … Regine Hunter [Cranford], 2012 [6]
38-5 ½ … Tatiana Camilo [Woodbridge], 2023 [7]
38-5 … Natalie Suess [New Egypt], 2016 [5]
38-5 ½ … Meghan O’Malley [Randolph], 2019 [6]
38-5 ¼ … Bella Palmiotto [Manchester Twp.], 2023 [8]
38-4 … Kassidy Mulryne [Allentown], 2018 [6]
38-3 … Kirsten Bowens [Mahwah], 2009 [5]
38-2 ½ ….. Ibe, 2014 [5]
38-2 ½ … Kelsey Viera [Hillsborough], 2015 [5]
38-1 … Kelly Burke [Cranford], 2010 [3]
38-1 … Bryell Wheeler [Princeton], 2012 [7]
38-0 ¾ … Genevieve Okoro [Eastern], 2010 [4]
38-0 ¼ … Felicia Quainoo [Union Catholic], 2019 [7]
38-0 … Rachel Montague [Cherokee], 2008 [4]