Will Claye facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Will Claye

Claye at the 2011 World Championships Athletics in Daegu
Personal information
Born	(1991-06-13) June 13, 1991 (age 34) Tucson, Arizona, United States
Height	5 ft 11 in
Weight	160 lb
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Triple jump, long jump
College team	University of Florida
Turned pro	2012
Coached by	Jeremy Fischer
Medal record Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 0 2 1 World Championships 0 2 2 World Indoor Championships 2 0 0 Olympic Games Silver 2012 London Triple jump Silver 2016 Rio de Janeiro Triple jump Bronze 2012 London Long jump World Championships Silver 2017 London Triple jump Silver 2019 Doha Triple jump Bronze 2011 Daegu Triple jump Bronze 2013 Moscow Triple jump World Indoor Championships Gold 2012 Istanbul Triple jump Gold 2018 Birmingham Triple jump

Will Claye (born June 13, 1991) is an American track and field athlete. He is known for competing in the long jump and triple jump events. Will has won many medals, including gold at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships and 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships.

In his first time at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Claye won a bronze medal in the long jump and a silver medal in the triple jump. He won another silver medal in the triple jump at the 2016 Olympics. His personal best in the triple jump is 18.14 meters, which he achieved in 2019. This amazing jump makes him one of the best triple jumpers ever.

Will Claye was a top high school athlete. He won two state championships in the triple jump in Arizona. He even set a new state record by jumping over 50 feet! He went to Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, Arizona. In 2008, USA Today named him one of the best high school athletes in both jumping events. After high school, he started college at the University of Oklahoma before moving to the University of Florida. Will Claye has also recorded a rap song called "IDGAF" with the rapper YG.

Will Claye's Amazing Athletics Career

College Days: Jumps and Championships

When Will Claye was at the University of Oklahoma, he competed for their track and field team, the Oklahoma Sooners. In 2009, on his 18th birthday, he won the NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship in the triple jump. He set a new American junior record with a jump of 17.19 meters.

During his second year at Oklahoma, Will faced some challenges. He had stress fractures, which are tiny cracks in his back and leg bones. These injuries affected his performance. After the 2010 outdoor season, he decided to transfer to the University of Florida. There, he joined another great jumper, Christian Taylor, and trained with a famous jumps coach, Dick Booth.

In 2011, the Florida team won the NCAA Indoor National Championship. Coach Booth's jumpers, especially Will Claye, earned a lot of points for the team. Will won the national title in the triple jump and came in second in the long jump.

Will finished his college career at Florida after his junior year. He earned eight "All-American" honors, which means he was recognized as one of the best college athletes in the country. He also won two NCAA titles: the 2009 outdoor triple jump title and the 2011 indoor title. He won both the triple and long jumps at the 2011 SEC Championships.

World Championships Debut: 2011 Daegu

At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, South Korea, Will Claye showed his talent on the world stage. He finished ninth in the long jump and earned a bronze medal by placing third in the triple jump.

After the 2011 World Championships, Will and his teammate Christian Taylor decided to leave the University of Florida. They chose to become professional athletes. This meant they would focus completely on training for the 2012 London Olympics. Will is sponsored by Nike and trains with coach Martin Smith.

Olympic Dreams Come True: London 2012

In early 2012, Will Claye set the best indoor triple jump mark of the season. He jumped 17.39 meters at an event in Fayetteville, Arkansas. At the 2012 USA Indoor Championships in February, Will not only won the triple jump but also jumped over 17.37 meters three times in a row! He finished with a world-leading jump of 17.63 meters. He also placed second in the long jump with a jump of 8.02 meters.

Will then won his first world title at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships. He won the triple jump with a jump of 17.70 meters, beating Christian Taylor. He also finished fourth in the long jump. In the outdoor season, he placed second at two big competitions, the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix and the Prefontaine Classic.

At the 2012 London Olympics, Will Claye made history. He first won a bronze medal in the long jump. Then, five days later, he won a silver medal in the triple jump. He was the first man since 1936 to win medals in both the long and triple jumps at the same Olympics!

More World Championships and Olympic Success

Will continued to compete at the highest level. At the 2013 World Championships in Athletics in Moscow, he won another bronze medal in the triple jump with a mark of 17.52 meters.

In 2015, at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing, he triple jumped 16.41 meters.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Will Claye earned another silver medal in the triple jump. He jumped 17.76 meters, showing his consistent performance.

Major Competition Results

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing the  United States
2009	Pan American Junior Championships	Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago	1st	Triple jump	16.57 m
2011	World Championships	Daegu, South Korea	9th	Long jump	8.10 m
			3rd	Triple jump	17.50 m
2012	World Indoor Championships	Istanbul, Turkey	4th	Long jump	8.04 m
			1st	Triple jump	17.70 m
	Olympic Games	London, United Kingdom	3rd	Long jump	8.12 m
			2nd	Triple jump	17.62 m
2013	World Championships	Moscow, Russia	3rd	Triple jump	17.52 m
2015	World Championships	Beijing, China	19th (q)	Triple jump	16.41 m
2016	Olympic Games	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	2nd	Triple jump	17.76 m
2017	World Championships	London, United Kingdom	2nd	Triple jump	17.63 m
2018	World Indoor Championships	Birmingham, United Kingdom	1st	Triple jump	17.43 m
2019	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	2nd	Triple jump	17.74 m
2021	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	4th	Triple jump	17.44 m
2022	World Indoor Championships	Belgrade, Serbia	4th	Triple jump	17.19 m
	World Championships	Eugene, United States	11th	Triple jump	16.54 m
2023	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	7th	Triple jump	16.99 m

Will Claye's Best Jumps

Images for kids

• 

  Claye at the 2011 World Championships

See Also

• Florida Gators
• List of Olympic medalists in athletics (men)
• List of University of Florida Olympians