Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Landon secures silver in high jump at Olympic Trials
07/10/2016 | 9:31:00 | Track and Field
Kyle Landon finishes runner-up in the high jump on Sunday in Eugene.
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University junior jumper Kyle Landon earned silver in the men's high jump at the U.S. Olympic Trials on Sunday, July 10.
"The competition went great," Landon said. "I jumped higher than I ever had before. I gave it my all."
Unfortunately, Landon did not already clear the Olympic standard, nor was he able to achieve it during the competition and will not represent Team USA in Rio. Only seven jumpers came into the meet having met the standard of 7'-05.75" (2.28m), with only the eventual winner, Erik Kynard, doing so on Sunday.
It's tough, not to be going to Rio," Landon said. "But I'm young and I've got plenty of time left."
The Chester, Ill. native overcame less than ideal jumping conditions, with wind and drizzle adding a wrinkle of difficulty that proved too much for many in the 14-man final. Landon, Kynard, and Bradley Adkins of Texas Tech were the only three jumpers to advance to 7'-5" (2.26m) without a miss.
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After narrowly missing on his first attempt at 7'-5", Landon sailed over the bar unscathed to set a new personal-best and join Kynard as the only to clear that height. He is just the fourth Saluki to clear 7'-5", joining Olympians Darrin Plab (U.S., 1992), Stephen Wray (Bahamas, 1984) and Cameron Wright (U.S., 1996) as the only to do so..@landonkyle21 clears a personal-best 7'-5" (2.26m) to finish second at #TrackTown16. pic.twitter.com/MmSxrOATA8
— Saluki Track (@SIU_TrackXC) July 10, 2016
Landon's finish Sunday is also the best by a Saluki high jumper at the Trials in more than 20 years, equaling Darrin Plab's runner-up showing at the 1992 Trials.
The four-time All-American caps an impressive junior campaign in which he has now; won a silver medal at the Olympic Trials, earned All-America honors at both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, won MVC Most Outstanding Male Field Performer at both the Indoor and Outdoor meets all the while becoming the first Saluki since 1985 to earn back-to-back Academic All-America laurels.
Players Mentioned
