Stillman alum falls short in Track and Field Olympic Trials

By WVUA 23 Sports Reporter Javon Williams

After winning a gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, one Stillman College alumnus fell short of qualifying for the 2021 games in Tokyo this summer.

Jeffrey Henderson, who graduated from Stillman in 2013, finished sixth overall in the men’s long jump event at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon.

In the final round of trials, Henderson landed a 26 feet and 5 inches jump, beating his 25 feet and 3/4 inches jump in the qualifying round.

While he may not be competing in the Olympics this year, Pierre Goode, his former track and field coach at Stillman, still commended Henderson for his efforts.

“He was one of the only guys that had that type of athleticism to possibly go to the Olympics,” Goode said.

When Henderson won the gold medal at the 2016 games, the first for Team USA in long jump since 2004, Goode said that he was not surprised.

“It wasn’t shocking to me,” he said. “I was happy that he had done it, but it wasn’t shocking.”

The men representing Team USA in the long jump at the 2021 Olympics this year are JuVaughn Harrison, from Louisiana State University, Marquis Dendy, from the University of Florida, and Steffin McCarter, from the University of Texas.

The men’s long jump event will be held on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021.