by Larry EderI love Vashti Cunningham. How can you not? She is poised, focused and terribley competitive.
She is also lives the life of a teenager, from her social media, and I believe that is good! That is a credit to her family and support team.
Vashti Cunningham, 2017 USA Indoors, photo by PhotoRun.net
Vashti is the future of the high jump and she and her father, who is her coach, are students of the event. Vashti was the gold medalist at the World Indoors in Portland. With PBs of 1.99m (indoors, USA champs, Portland, March 2016), and 1.99m outdoors American Junior Record from Sacramento USA Outdoors (July 2017). Vashti won both indoors and outdoors for USATF in 2017. She is coached by her father, Randall Cunningham (yep, that Randall Cunningham). Her mother, Felicity de Jager Cunningham, was a ballet dancer for the iconic Dance Theatre of Harlem. Her family is amazingly athletic.
Her jumping is technically sound. Watch her analyze the jump and then, watch her run. Vashti puts it all into her jumping. And I recall her telling the media that her idol was Ruth Beitia, 2016 Olympic champion (Beitia has sixteen global medals), a consumate technician in the high jump.
Remember, Vashti Cunningham went pro in March 2016, just prior to the World Indoors.
Vashti Cunningham, 2017 USATF Outdoors, Sacramento, photo by PhotoRun.net
Vashti Cunningham will be competing in the Armory for the first time and visiting NYRR Millrose Games. We wish her much luck. On the bucket list for 2018 for @runblogrun, a long interview with Vashti Cunningham!
Here’s a short interview with Vashti Cunningham, thanks to Media Manager Nick Nicholas of the NYRR Millrose Games with our esteemed hurdler.
The 111th NYRR Millrose Games can be seen on USATF.TV from 11:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. on Saturday and will be televised live by NBC from 4-6 p.m. There also is the USATF Cool Down show beginning at 6 p.m.
Go to NYRRMillroseGames.org to learn more about the NYRR Millrose Games and to purchase tickets to the Saturday, February 3, 2018meet.
To read the interview, please look below!
1. Is this your first time at The Armory?
Vashti Cunningham: “Yes, it’s my first time.”
2. What have you heard about The Armory?
Vashti Cunningham: “That it gets packed and really loud. I hear it’s a great track to come and compete.”
3. You were 18 when you became an Olympian …. Where do you see your future?
Vashti Cunningham: “I think my future is progressing because I know I’m going to work and I have high hopes for myself.”
4. About Inika McPherson?
Vashti Cunningham: “I like her. She’s cool.”
5. Do you ever have any trash talking in any which way with your fellow competitors?
Vashti Cunningham: “No. Not really. When I go into my competition I distance myself from everybody. I keep it in my head.”
5. Your father, Randall, is in the audience. Who are you supporting this weekend? You’re not a Patriots fan?
Vashti Cunningham: “No, we’re all supporting the Eagles.”
6. What is it about the High Jump that you like?
Vashti Cunningham: “Out of all the events I was doing I was doing the hurdles and the long jump. The high jump was my strongest event but not really the fastest one. I like the jump because, there is not really a feeling like going over the bar and being up there for a quick second. I’ve never really experienced anything like that. I like it a lot.”
7. Winning the World Indoor Championship at such a young age that had to be very exciting?
Vashti Cunningham: “Yes, that was very exciting for me. Very unreal.”
8. How did you celebrate the championship? Did your dad take you somewhere nice afterward?
Vashti Cunningham: “Actually we just went home. I turned pro right after that. So that was my celebration.”
