UM's Charles Sets Canadian Junior Record

Jan. 19, 2004

Gainesville, Fla. (hurricanesports.com) – University of Miami freshman Tabia Charles (Pickering, Ontario) broke her own Canadian Junior triple jump record with a leap of 13.53 meters (44-04.75) at the Florida Intercollegiate on Saturday in Gainesville, Fla.

Charles, competing in her first collegiate meet, easily won the event, defeating her nearest opponent by nearly three feet. Her mark also automatically qualified for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, March 12-13, in Fayetteville, Ark.

“We are very pleased that Tabia was able to open the season with this type of performance,” said head coach Amy Deem. “We feel this is the start of a very promising career for her at the University of Miami.”

Charles’ jump shattered her old Canadian junior record of 13.13 meters (43-01.00) by over one foot. In addition, Charles’ mark set a UM freshman record and was only one one-hundredth of a meter from tying the school-record of 13.54 meters set by Kareen Clarke in 2002.

Charles, the most heralded recruit in the Hurricanes’ nationally ranked recruiting class, is a three-time National Scholastic Indoor Champion in the triple jump (2001, 2002, 2003) and the Canadian Junior Record holder in the triple jump both indoors and outdoors (12.95 meters/42-06.00).

Charles recorded Canada’s top mark in the triple jump (13.13 meters) during the 2003 indoor season and is the defending Canadian Junior Champion in the triple jump. She also finished second in the long jump at the 2002 Canadian Junior Championships.