Claire Bryant Is Going For National LJ Record at VA Showcase


Pan American U20 Championship long jump winner Claire Bryant is flying from Houston, Texas, to Lynchburg to make an attempt at the national indoor record on January 18 at The VA Showcase.

Bryant, a senior at Houston Memorial High School who is signed with the University of Florida, enters the meet with a personal best of 21 feet, 2.25 inches and is chasing Tara Davis' national indoor record of 21-11. 

Claire -- who works with the same independent coaches in Texas who helped shape Matthew Boling into a phenom in 2019 -- won both the USA Track and Field and Pan American U20 long jump championships last summer and was the national runner-up in the long jump at New Balance Nationals Outdoor. She jumped over 20-feet a staggering seven times last season, and finished second at the UIL Texas Class 6A Track and Field Championships in the event, only behind eventual state meet record holder Jasmine Moore. 

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VA Showcase Meet Page & Entry Information 

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Bryan will not be the only big name in this AAU sanctioned event as part of the separate club sanctioned VA Showcase meet. She is going to be joined by national champion Morgan Smalls (NC), Jamaican national champion Shantae Foreman, Lashanti Williams (GA), and Paige Floriea (OH). 

With entries still open, there could be a few others added before the deadline on 1/13. 

Between these five current entries you have the top ranked athletes in the long, triple, and high jump in the United States and the top ranked long jumper and high jumper from Jamaica. 

Here is a little more about these current competitors. 

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Claire Bryant (TX)

  • University of Florida Commit 
  • Personal Best of 21-2.25
  • Pan American U20 Champion
  • US #2 Returner in LJ

Morgan Smalls (NC)

  • University of Southern California Commit
  • Personal Best of 19-11.5 
  • Personal Bests of 41-9.75 (TJ) & 6-3.25 (HJ)
  • US #1 Returner in TJ & HJ
  • Defending National Champion in High Jump

Shantae Foreman (Jamaica)

  • Personal Best of 20-7
  • Class 2 National LJ Champion 
  • #1 Returning Long Jumper in Jamaica

Paige Floriea (OH)

  • Personal Best of 20-2.5
  • Ohio State Champion
  • New Balance All-American 

LaShanti Williams (GA)

  • Personal Best of 19-11
  • Georgia State Champion