Abygail Morrissey was just out of the reach of the competition at the district elementary school track meet Tuesday at the Pioneer Coal Track.
She had the highest high jump of the day not only in the 11- to 12-year-old girls category, but the highest jump of all athletes at the meet. Morrissey also competes in the 200m event and the relay.
Getting involved with high jump happened naturally after trying it out at G. R. Saunders track and field practice.
“It’s really all the power in your legs because you have to jump off one leg or you will just go straight up,” she said. “We just all tried it as school and the girls with the highest jump got to compete here.”
Morrissey first competed in the high jump event in Grade 4 and did not place. Last year she placed third. This year with her 130cm jump she finished first, just ahead of A.G. Bailey’s Katelyn Biron (129 cm).
Both jumpers were keeping stride with each other until the 130 cm mark. Morrissey said she never got nervous about hitting the bar each time it was raised.
“I never had any nerves because our gym teacher always told us to pretend there is no bar there and to jump normally when you hit your spot,” she said. “When they raised it that last time I just kept thinking that I need to get over. Thinking I can get over also helps with my nerves.”
She says that competing in different sports such as gymnastics, swimming, softball, basketball and golf helped her to grow stronger over the past year. She said this made the biggest difference in being able to jump higher this year.
“I’m always jumping around and involved in all kinds of sports and gymnastics,” said Morrissey. “I like track and field and gymnastics the most because I have fun doing them and I’m good at them, but all the other sports contribute to my success in those two.”
She said she enjoyed practicing with her friends Nadia and Abby this season and they didn’t care who won the high jump event as long as one of them from G. R. Saunders could win.
“We wanted to be able to say that G. R. Saunders won so I didn’t care if it was me or one of them,” said Morrissey. “We all worked really hard together and they’re great friends and teammates. We all support each other whether we win or lose.”
The highlight over her day was how much fun everyone was having and she cannot wait until the next meet.
Girls ages 11-12 high jump
1. Abygail Morrissey – 130cm
2. Katelyn Biron – 129cm
3. Camryn Halliday – 125cm
