James Stallworth (athlete) facts for kids
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James Stallworth (born April 29, 1971) is a retired American track and field athlete. He is best known for his amazing skills in the long jump. He still holds a special record for high school long jump in the United States.
James Stallworth's Early Life and Records
James Stallworth was born on April 29, 1971. He became a very talented long jumper. He set a national high school record for the long jump. This happened on June 3, 1989, in Norwalk, California. He jumped an incredible 8.04 metres (26.4 ft) (about 26 feet, 4 inches). This record is still held by him today!
James went to Tulare Union High School. This school is famous for other great athletes. Two Olympic champions, Bob Mathias (a decathlete) and Sim Iness (a discus thrower), also went there.
Becoming a Junior Champion
After high school, James continued to shine. In 1990, he won the USATF Junior Championships. He set a new record for that event with a jump of 8.17 metres (26.8 ft). This win helped him join the international team. He was also the Junior National Champion in the 200-meter race.
Later that year, James competed in the 1990 World Junior Championships in Athletics. This big event was held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He won a gold medal in the long jump. He even set a personal best jump of 8.20 metres (26.9 ft) during the qualifying round. This was one of the best jumps ever recorded at that time. He also earned a bronze medal in the 200-meter race at the same competition.
In 1991, when he was 20 years old, James competed in the United States Olympic Festival. He finished second in the long jump. He was right behind the famous long jumper Mike Powell.
Later Career
After a break from competing for nine years, James Stallworth returned in 2000. He managed to jump 7.93 metres (26.0 ft) in a local championship. This was a great jump, but he did not make the Olympic team that year.
As of 2017, James Stallworth was working at a Rescue Mission.
