Lindenwold senior Egypt Bolan cleared 5-8 to win the Meet of Champions high jump title Wednesday at Pennsauken, becoming the first South Jersey girl to win the high jump in back-to-back Meet of Champions.
Bolan, the national outdoor champion last year at 5-10 ¾, won last year’s Meet of Champions at 5-9. She clinched the title Wednesday when she was the only competitor to clear 5-8. She was clean at 5-4, 5-6 and 5-8
With the win secured, Bolan had the bar moved up to 5-10 ¼, which would have broken the meet record of 5-10 shared by six athletes, most recently Timber Creek’s Tierra Hooker in 2019. She missed three attempts.
Bolan is the first girl to repeat in the high jump since Fiona Paladino of Montgomery in 2010 and 2011.
South Jersey has dominated the M-of-C high jump, winning six of the last titles – Hooker in 2019, Clayton’s Alanna Woolfolk in 2021 and 2023, Williamstown’s Addison Inge in 2024 and Bolan the last two years.
Other South Jersey winners: Erirn Halpan of Cherry Hill East in 1987, Kim Stoll of Holy Spirit in 1993, Brooke Minor of Woodbury in 2001, Briana Gray of Haddon Heights in 2005, Anna Cook of Florence in 2006 and Priscilla Frederick of Paul VI in 2007.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 