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VIS Mentor and Olympic Bronze medalist Jasmine Moore is no stranger to the biggest stages in the track and field world. Moore was once again on the podium at this year’s USATF Outdoor Championships becoming a U.S. Champion in the triple jump on Saturday.
“This competition I just really wanted to just go out there and be bold,” Moore told RunnerSpace after her win. “To come down on my last one, it was building, each one was kind of getting better… to come out with 14.68 was great.”
Moore’s sixth and final jump of 14.68 meters solidified her win and a spot on the World Championships team for the event. The jump was a season-best for Moore, who won the competition by over three feet at the iconic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Moore’s first-place finish was a familiar sight, as she was a U.S. Champion last year winning the event at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the same stadium.
Redemption Win
At the 2024 Olympics, Moore became the first American woman to compete in both long and triple jump. She would further make history by earning Bronze in both events, on her way to become the first U.S. woman to medal in triple jump at the Olympics.
Moore was one of two women, along with Jasmine Atkins, to compete in both events at this year’s U.S. Championships. On Thursday in long jump, Moore’s best jump was a season-best 6.82 meter attempt. She finished in an impressive fifth place, but missed out on a World Championships spot.
“I was obviously very heartbroken,” Moore said about her long jump performance. “This was the first time not making an outdoor team in an event, so I took that pretty hard. Lots of tears were shed, but I’m just gonna find beauty in it. And I’m excited and still thankful that I still get to go to Tokyo.”
“This competition I just really wanted to just go out there and be bold.”
Moore’s Mindset
This wasn’t Moore’s first time overcoming a disappointing result. In 2021, Moore made her Olympic debut in Tokyo in the triple jump, but missed out on the finals and chance to medal. She told a local news station in Dallas that she was disappointed in her performance and due to COVID-19 her family was unable to support her in person, which made it harder to compete.
When Moore got her second chance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, she made sure to take hold of her moment. Looking back on her two Olympic experiences, Moore said the difference was her confidence. Heading into Paris, Moore competed in triple jump first, but she said she wasn’t “looking too hot” leading up to the event. But compared to her first Olympics Moore had a belief in herself that pushed her forward.
“I was like ‘No, I’m going to trust myself,’” Moore said to WFAA. “I’m going to go full force. If I’m hesitating and I’m not confident, it’s not going to be a good result no matter what so I just went for it.”
For many athletes, confidence isn’t something you’re born with. It requires work and putting yourself in different experiences to grow both as an athlete and a person. Growing your confidence is one skill that even the best athletes in the world struggle with, and Moore is someone who has shown the work it takes to build this confidence.
Moore’s comeback performance in triple jump both in the Olympics and this year’s U.S. Championships demonstrated her ability to not let one setback define her moment—a testament to her competitiveness and mindset as a professional athlete.
Looking Ahead:
Moore will compete in her second outdoor World Athletics Championships in Tokyo held from Sept. 13-21. Although she is used to competing in both long and triple jump, Moore said it has been stressful at times to juggle both and she is looking forward to focusing on one event.
“I don’t really like to have all my eggs in one basket,” Moore admitted. “So, I think that part may stress me out a little bit, but I’ve never just trained one event, so who knows? And I’m excited for that.”
