Omar Craddock facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Omar Craddock

Craddock in 2019
Personal information
Nationality	American
Born	(1991-04-26) 26 April 1991 (age 34)
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Triple jump
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	Triple jump: 17,68 m Long jump: 7,60 m 100 meters: 10.90 s
Medal record Men's athletics Representing the  United States Pan American Games Gold 2019 Lima Triple jump
Updated on 28 September 2019.

Omar Craddock was born on April 26, 1991. He is an American track and field athlete. He is best known for competing in the triple jump event.

Omar went to the University of Florida. There, he won three big college titles in the triple jump. He won one indoor title and two outdoor titles from the NCAA. He was part of a strong team of triple jumpers from the Florida Gators track and field team. Other famous jumpers like Christian Taylor and Will Claye were also on this team.

In 2010, Omar won a bronze medal at the 2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics. Later, in 2013, he became the national triple jump champion at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. His best jump ever in the triple jump is 17.68 meters.

Omar had a break from competing for about 20 months. This was between 2020 and 2022. This happened because of rules about athletes needing to be available for tests.

Omar's Athletics Journey

Growing Up and Starting Out

Omar Craddock grew up in Killeen, Texas. He went to Killeen High School. When he was younger, he enjoyed playing basketball, American football, and baseball.

He started to do very well in the triple jump in 2008. That year, his best jump was 15.53 meters. This jump helped him get second place at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. He also became the state champion in the triple jump in 2008.

College Sports Career

Omar received an athletics scholarship to attend the University of Florida. He joined the Florida Gators track and field team. In his first year, he quickly became one of the best jumpers the school had ever seen.

He jumped 16.19 meters, which was his first jump over sixteen meters. This earned him third place at the Southeastern Conference indoor championship. He also finished seventh at the NCAA Indoor Championship. Omar was second at the Florida Relays and won at the Penn Relays.

In 2010, he finished second at the SEC Outdoor Championship. This helped the Florida Gators win their first team title in over twenty years. He also placed sixth at the NCAA Outdoor Championship. This gave Omar his second All-American award for the year. He finished the season by winning his first international medal. He set a personal best of 16.56 meters to win the national junior title. Then, he earned a bronze medal at the 2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics.

The 2011 college season started with great performances for the Florida Gators. At the SEC Indoor Championships, the men's triple jump was dominated by Florida. Christian Taylor, Will Claye, and Omar Craddock took the top spots. They all made some of the best jumps in the school's history. Omar finished third with a jump of 16.57 meters. He placed fifth at the NCAA Indoors. He also won his first outdoor meet at the Penn Relays. However, he missed the rest of the outdoor season that year.

In his third year with the Gators, Omar reached new heights. His teammates Taylor and Claye had finished their studies. Omar won both the SEC Indoor and NCAA Indoor Championship titles. He set a new personal record of 16.75 meters at the NCAA event. He then achieved an outdoor best of 16.71 meters. He also won both the SEC and NCAA Outdoor titles. This meant he followed in the footsteps of Christian Taylor, who did the same in 2010. Omar finished fourth at the 2012 Olympic Trials. His former Gator teammates took the top two spots there.

In his fourth and final year at Florida, Omar faced strong competition indoors. At the SEC Indoors, he jumped 16.49 meters. But he was just barely beaten by Tarik Batchelor. He set a new personal best of 16.80 meters at the NCAA Indoors. However, he was again runner-up as Bryce Lamb jumped almost seventeen meters. In the outdoor season, Omar started a winning streak. It began at the Texas Relays. He kept his SEC and NCAA triple jump titles. He also improved his best jump to 16.92 meters. He then beat Will Claye at the 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. This win gave him his first national title with a wind-assisted jump of 17.15 meters.

Omar's Best Jumps

• Triple jump (outdoors): 17.68 meters (2019)
• Triple jump (outdoors): 17.53 meters (2015)
• Triple jump (outdoors): 17.15 meters (2013)
• Triple jump (outdoors): 17.26 meters (wind-assisted, 2014)
• Triple jump (indoors): 16.80 meters (2013)
• Long jump (indoors): 7.63 meters (2013)

Major Wins and Titles

• NCAA Indoor titles: 2012
• NCAA Outdoor titles: 2012, 2013
• USA Outdoor titles: 2013, 2015

International Competitions