Tim White

DES MOINES, Iowa – College of the Canyons freshman track and field athlete Tim White continued his amazing season on Thursday afternoon as he came in first place in the triple jump at the U.S. Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championship with a school record leap of 53 feet, 1 inch.

White has earned the right to represent the United States and College of the Canyons at the Pan Am Junior Championships on Aug. 23-25 in Medellin, Colombia, pending his decision to compete.

“I had a great feeling about the meet today,” College of the Canyons head track and field coach Lindie Kane said. “Tim opened the competition with a huge jump that was a personal best by over a foot. That set the standard for the rest of the field. He competed on a national stage and established himself as an elite jumper. It was exciting to watch a COC student-athlete win a gold medal.”

The 2013 California Community College Athletic Association state champion in the triple jump opened up the competition with his 53-1 jump bested his personal best of 52-0 at the Western State Conference Championship on April 19.

White, a Hart High School graduate, competed against 14 other athletes, including student-athletes from track and field powerhouses Baylor University and University of South Florida. White beat second-place finisher Felix Obi of Baylor by 1 foot, 1Ž2 inches and third-place Tony Carodine of the University of Missouri by nearly two feet.

White is the first COC track and field student-athlete to win a national championship at the U.S. Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championship. In 2011, Chris Low came in sixth place in the 800-meter run and in 2007 Justin Skinner finished in 13^th place in the decathlon.

COC freshman Anthony Fowler qualified to compete in the 400-meter dash at the same meet. Fowler’s first-round race will take place at 12:15 p.m. PST on Friday, June 21, with the finals scheduled the following day at 11:54 p.m. PST.