Vashti Cunningham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Vashti Cunningham

Cunningham at the 2018 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Personal information
Born	(1998-01-18) January 18, 1998 (age 27) Las Vegas, Nevada
Height	186 cm
Weight	55 kg
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	High jump
Club	Nike
Turned pro	2016
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	High jump outdoor: 2.02 m (6 ft 7.40255906 in) (Chula Vista 2021) High jump indoor: 2.00 m (6 ft 6.61515748 in) (Fayetteville 2021)
Medal record Women's athletics Representing the  United States World Championships Bronze 2019 Doha High jump World Indoor Championships Gold 2016 Portland High jump Silver 2018 Birmingham High jump Pan American Junior Championships Gold 2015 Edmonton High jump

Vashti Cunningham (born January 18, 1998) is an American track and field athlete. She is famous for her skill in the high jump event. Vashti comes from a family of athletes. Her father, Randall Cunningham, was a well-known National Football League (NFL) quarterback. Her uncle, Sam Cunningham, was also an NFL player. Vashti's older brother, Randall Cunningham II, is also a high jumper. Her mother, Felicity de Jager Cunningham, was a professional ballerina.

Vashti attended Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. She competed in high jump there. In March 2016, she signed a professional contract with Nike. At that time, she shared her plan to continue her education at a university while also competing as a professional athlete.

Becoming a High Jump Star

Vashti Cunningham quickly became a top high jumper. She set many records as a young athlete.

Setting New Records

• On April 18, 2015, Vashti jumped 1.94 meters at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, California. This jump set a new national high school record.
• At just 17 years old, her jump was one of the best in the world for athletes under 19. It was also the third-best jump in the world for all ages in 2015.
• The USATF (USA Track & Field) named her Athlete of the Week for this amazing performance.
• On June 27, 2015, she won the U.S. Junior National Championship.
• A month later, at the 2015 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships, she jumped even higher, reaching 1.96 meters. This jump tied the World Youth Best record.

Winning World Titles

• On March 12, 2016, Vashti jumped 1.99 meters. She won the 2016 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Portland, Oregon. This jump set a new World Junior Record.
• Her 1.99-meter jump was the best in the world for 2016 at that time.
• Just eight days later, she won the World Indoor Championship. This was a huge win for her.

Continuing Success

• In March 2017, Vashti won the 2017 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships by jumping 1.96 meters.
• She continued to win events, including the Mt. SAC Relays and Penn Relays.
• On June 23, she jumped 1.99 meters to win the 2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
• In 2018, she won her third straight U.S. indoor high jump title. She also placed second at the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
• On July 7, 2023, Vashti won her 13th U.S. high jump title at the U.S. outdoor track and field championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Vashti's Competition Results

Vashti has competed in many important events around the world. Here are some of her top finishes:

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Notes
Representing the  United States
2015	Pan American Junior Championships	Edmonton, Alberta	1st	1.96 m
2016	World Indoor Championships	Portland, Oregon	1st	1.96 m
	Olympic Games	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	13th	1.88 m
2017	World Championships	London, United Kingdom	10th	1.92 m
2018	World Indoor Championships	Birmingham, United Kingdom	2nd	1.93 m
2019	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	3rd	2.00 m
2021	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	6th	1.96 m
2022	World Championships	Eugene, United States	18th (q)	1.86 m
	NACAC Championships	Freeport, Bahamas	1st	1.92 m
2023	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	11th	1.90 m
2024	World Indoor Championships	Glasgow, United Kingdom	―	DNS
	Olympic Games	Paris, France	5th	1.95

Her 2015 Pan American Junior Championships result was a record for that event and a world youth record.

USA National Championships and Olympic Trials

Vashti has also done very well in national competitions in the United States. She has won many U.S. titles.

Her results include American junior records for both indoor and outdoor high jump.

Images for kids

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  Vashti Cunningham competing in high jump.