Will Claye Explained

Will Claye
Birth Date:13 June 1991
Birth Place:Tucson, Arizona, United States
Height:5 ft 11 in
Weight:160 lb
Sport:Track and field
Event:Triple jump, long jump
Collegeteam:University of Florida
Turnedpro:2012
Coach:Jeremy Fischer[1]

Will Claye (born June 13, 1991) is an American track and field athlete of Sierra Leonean descent who competes in the long jump and triple jump. He won a bronze medal in 2011 World Championships in Athletics and the gold medals at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships and 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships. In his Olympic debut at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Claye won a bronze medal in long jump and a silver medal in triple jump.[2] [3] He repeated his silver medal in the triple jump four years later. His personal best of, set at the Jim Bush Southern California USATF Championships in Long Beach on June 29, 2019, ranks him as the No. 4 triple jumper of all time.

Will was two-time Arizona Interscholastic Association high school champion in the triple jump, establishing a new state record of over 50 feet. He attended Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, Arizona, where he was named to the 2008 USA Today's All-USA Team in both jumps.[4] Claye enrolled early at the University of Oklahoma, but later transferred to the University of Florida.

Will Claye later went on to record the rap song "IDGAF" with YG.

Career

College career

While attending the University of Oklahoma, Claye competed for the Oklahoma Sooners men's track and field team. He won the 2009 NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship in the triple jump on his 18th birthday, establishing a new American junior record of 56feet. During his second year at Oklahoma, Claye's performance dropped off due to stress fractures in his back and leg.[5] After the 2010 outdoor season, he transferred to the University of Florida to join defending outdoor champion Christian Taylor and training under legendary jumps coach Dick Booth. The collegiate 2011 indoor season was capped by Florida winning the NCAA Indoor National Championship, thanks to Coach Booth's jumpers scoring 30 of the Gators' 52 points, led by Claye's national title in the triple jump and his runner-up finish in the long jump.

Claye finished second at the 2011 NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships behind Taylor.[6] The two went on to finish in the same order at the 2011 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.[7] Claye finished his collegiate career at Florida, after his junior year, ending with eight "All American" honors and with 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.

2011 World Championships

In 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, South Korea, Claye was 9th in long jump and 3rd in triple jump.[8] Claye, and Gator teammate Christian Taylor, withdrew from the University of Florida after the 2011 Worlds, and turned professional in order to concentrate on preparing for the 2012 London Olympics.[9] He is sponsored by Nike and is training under the direction of Martin Smith.

2012 Olympic Year

Claye established the early, indoor season, leading mark in the triple jump of 57feet at the 2012 Tyson Invitational on February 11 in Fayetteville, Arkansas (his only valid jump in the elite competition). At the 2012 USA Indoor Championships in February Claye not only won the triple jump, but he exceeded 57 feet on 3 consecutive jumps, finishing with a world-leading mark of 57feet. In addition, Claye finished second in the long jump with a mark of 26feet. He went on to claim his first world title at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships. He won the triple jump ahead of Christian Taylor with a clearance of 17.70 m and also placed fourth in the long jump.[10] In the outdoor season, he began with runner-up finishes at both the Shanghai and Eugene legs of the 2012 Diamond League.[11]

At the 2012 London Olympics Claye first won the bronze medal in long jump, then followed up by winning the silver medal in triple jump five days later.[2] He is the first man to win medals in both the long and triple jumps at the same Olympics since Naoto Tajima of Japan at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics.[12]

2013 World Championships

In 2013 World Championships in Athletics in Moscow, Claye triple jumped (Wind: +0.5 m/s).

2015 World Championships

In 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing, Claye triple jumped (Wind: +0.2 m/s).

2016 Olympic Year

In Summer Olympics, Claye triple jumped (Wind: +0.4 m/s) to earn a silver medal.

Major competition record

Representing the
2009Pan American Junior ChampionshipsPort of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago1stTriple jump16.57 m
2011World ChampionshipsDaegu, South Korea9thLong jump8.10 m
3rdTriple jump17.50 m
2012World Indoor ChampionshipsIstanbul, Turkey4thLong jump8.04 m
1stTriple jump17.70 m
Olympic GamesLondon, United Kingdom3rdLong jump8.12 m
2ndTriple jump17.62 m
2013World ChampionshipsMoscow, Russia3rdTriple jump17.52 m
2015World ChampionshipsBeijing, China19th (q)Triple jump16.41 m
2016Olympic GamesRio de Janeiro, Brazil2ndTriple jump17.76 m
2017World ChampionshipsLondon, United Kingdombgcolor=silver2ndTriple jump17.63 m
2018World Indoor ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdombgcolor=gold1stTriple jump17.43 m
2019World ChampionshipsDoha, Qatarbgcolor=silver2ndTriple jump17.74 m
2021Olympic GamesTokyo, Japan4thTriple jump17.44 m
2022World Indoor ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia4thTriple jump17.19 m
World ChampionshipsEugene, United States11thTriple jump16.54 m
2023World ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary7thTriple jump16.99 m

USA National Track and field Championships

2021United States Olympic TrialsEugene, Oregon1stTriple jump
24thLong jump
2019USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsDes Moines, Iowa2ndTriple jump
2ndLong jump
2018USA Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsAlbuquerque Convention Center Albuquerque, New Mexico1stTriple jump[13]
2017USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsSacramento, California1stTriple jump
2016USA Olympic TrialsEugene, Oregon3rdLong jump[14]
1stTriple jump[15]
2015USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsEugene, Oregon2ndTriple jump[16]
2015USA Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsReggie Lewis Center Boston, MADNSTriple jumpDNS[17]
2014USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsHornet Stadium (Sacramento) Sacramento, California1stTriple jump[18]
2014USA Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsAlbuquerque Convention Center Albuquerque, New Mexico5thLong jump[19]
2013USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsDrake Stadium, Des Moines, Iowa7thLong jump[20]
2ndTriple jump
2012USA Track and Field Olympic TrialsHayward Field Eugene, Oregon2ndTriple jump[21]
2ndLong jump
2012USA Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsAlbuquerque Convention Center Albuquerque, New Mexico1stTriple jump[22]
1stLong jump
2011USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsHayward Field, Eugene, Oregon2ndTriple jump[23]
2ndLong jump
2009USA Junior Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsHayward Field, Eugene, Oregon2ndLong jump[24]
1stTriple jump
2008USA Junior Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsJesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Columbus, OhioDNSTriple jumpDNS[25]
DNSLong jumpDNS

Personal bests

EventBest (m)VenueDate
Triple jump (outdoor) 18.14 Long Beach, United States June 29, 2019
Triple jump (indoor) 17.70 Istanbul, Turkey March 11, 2012
Long jump (outdoor) 8.29 Athens, GeorgiaMay 14, 2011
Long jump (indoor) 8.24 Fayetteville, Arkansas February 10, 2012

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Will Claye. usatf.org. April 24, 2015.
  2. News: London 2012: Christian Taylor holds off Will Claye for triple jump gold. August 10, 2012. The Guardian. August 10, 2012. Robert Booth.
  3. Web site: THE JONAH KERI PODCAST #43: WILL CLAYE. nerdist.com. August 2, 2016.
  4. Web site: Will Claye. Soonersports. September 4, 2011.
  5. Web site: 21 January 2011 "Triple Threat: Taylor, Claye and Craddock Give UF Elite Jumps Group". Gatorsports. February 29, 2012.
  6. Web site: Christian Taylor Will Claye: Florida's Christian Taylor, Will Claye turn pro — Orlando Sentinel . Articles.orlandosentinel.com . August 10, 2011 . October 2, 2011.
  7. Web site: Events – 2011 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships . USATF . October 2, 2011.
  8. Web site: Christian Taylor wins men's triple jump at worlds. Yahoo. September 4, 2011.
  9. Web site: 10 August 2011 "UF jumpers Christian Taylor, Will Claye turn pro". Orlando Sentinel. February 29, 2012.
  10. http://www.iaaf.org/Mini/WIC12/news/kind=108/NewsDetail.aspx?id=64207 EVENT REPORT – Men's Triple Jump – Final
  11. Gains, Paul (June 2, 2012). Dibaba 30:24.39 and Kiprop 27:01.98 on stunning but wet first night in Eugene – Samsung Diamond League. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-06-03.
  12. News: Metcalfe . Jeff . Phoenix's Will Claye earns Olympic silver medal in triple jump to go with bronze in long jump . Arizona Republic . August 9, 2012 . August 9, 2012 .
  13. Web site: USA Track & Field – Results – Full . Usatf.org . February 18, 2018 . March 14, 2019.
  14. Web site: 2016 USA Track & Field – Results – Full . Usatf.org . August 2, 2016.
  15. Web site: 2016 USA Track & Field – Results – Full . Usatf.org . August 2, 2016.
  16. Web site: USA Track & Field – Results – Full . Usatf.org . November 10, 2015.
  17. Web site: USA Track & Field – Results – Men Triple Jump . FlashResults . November 10, 2015.
  18. Web site: USA Track & Field – Results – Full . Usatf.org . November 10, 2015.
  19. Web site: USA Track & Field – Results – Full . Usatf.org . November 10, 2015.
  20. Web site: USA Track & Field – Results – Full . Usatf.org . November 10, 2015.
  21. Web site: USA Track & Field – Results – Full . Usatf.org . November 10, 2015.
  22. Web site: USA Track & Field – Results – Full . Usatf.org . November 10, 2015.
  23. Web site: USA Track & Field – Results – Full . Usatf.org . November 10, 2015.
  24. Web site: USA Track & Field – Results – Full . Usatf.org . November 10, 2015.
  25. Web site: USA Track & Field – Results – Full . Usatf.org . November 10, 2015.

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