2018 Des Moines Diary: Vashti Cunningham adds another High Jump title to her resume!

Vashti Cunningham, Millrose 2018, photo by PhotoRun.net

Vashti Cunningham has had a pretty modest season of competition so far. Indoors, she competed three times. On February 6, Vashti Cunningham cleared 1.96 meters at the Millrose Games. On February 18, Ms. Cunningham cleared 1.97 meters when she took the US championships in Albuquerque. In Birmingham, Vashti attempted to defend her 2016 World Indoor title, and finished in silver position, behind Maria Lasitskene. Vashti Cunningham ended her indoor season at 1.93 meters in the World Indoors.

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In the outdoor season, Vashti Cunningham opened at Mt.SAC on April 21 with a nice 1.91 meters. Her second competition, at Drake on April 27, Cunningham cleare 1.94 meters. Her Diamond League debut in 2018 was the Rome Golden Gala, where she finished sixth in 1.94 meters, with Maria Lasitskene clearing 2.02 meters for the WL.

At the USATF Champs, the premier American high jumper passed at 1.78 meters, then cleared 1.83 meters on her second attempt. Cunningham dominated the High jump, with first attempt clearances of 1.86 meters, 1.89 meters and 1.92 meters. She took three attempts at 1.95 meters, but won the event there.

Inika McPherson had the early lead, clearing 1.83m and 1.86m on her first attempts. She then took three at 1.89 meters, two attempts at 1.92 meters, and then, at 1.95 meters, took all three, but did not clear 1.95 meters.

For Vashti Cunningham, we hope to see the new champion in Europe this summer.

Groovin. Your 2018 USATF Outdoor Champ high jump, Vashti Cunningham, today before her win. ðŸ˜Ž . . . . Trackandfieldimage.com . . . . . #jeffcohenphoto #vashticunningham #usatf #usatfoutdoors #highjump #olympian #tracknation #trackandfield #athletics #nike #groovin #champ @vashtizzle @usatf @nike

A post shared by jeffcohenphoto Track and Field (@jeffcohenphoto) on Jun 23, 2018 at 7:44pm PDT

Author

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 51-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

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