Canadian record-holder Nettey lands gold
World domination and seven-metre mark jumper’s next targets
To see her hanging in the air for longer than it seems that gravity should allow, it’s hard to think of Christabel Nettey as anything but the long jump superstar that she is today.
But she was once the kid dragged to the track club because her older sister had talent and her parents wanted to keep them together.
Her days of following anyone are long over as she proved, yet again, by winning the gold medal at Pan Am Games Friday night.
Nettey was already the best Canadian long jumper ever. The 24-year-old from Surrey, B.C., improved the national record to 6.99 metres in May. That’s the second-longest jump by anyone in the world this year, and her next three best — 6.98, 6.93 and 6.92 — are all in the top 10.
She soared 6.90 metres under in- tense pressure here.
“It was great to come here and do it in front of all my family and friends,” she said.
Nettey has worked hard for her success, but it still takes her by surprise.
“For me, it’s really weird that people are talking about me, or any time I jump social media goes bananas. It’s fun, but it’s weird,” she said ahead of the Pan Ams.
In elementary school she was the short, skinny one while sister Sabrina, 18 months older, was tall and muscular.
“She was in the elite group, and I was just in with the little kids who are there for fun because their parents take them and, slowly, I started to develop skills,” said Nettey. “And my speed kept going.”
At one point she was running sprints, hurdles and jumping, but by university long jump — her best event — had effectively chosen her. Her sister went to Stanford University and the coach wanted both of them, but Nettey had other ideas.
“I just want to be me; I don’t always want to be Sabrina’s younger sister,” she said.
She went to Arizona State and did well, but it was after she graduated and became a full-time athlete, based at the World Athletics Centre in Phoenix, that things really came to- gether. In 2013, Nettey jumped 6.75 metres. She didn’t quite get there in 2014, and then in 2015 opened her indoor season with a 6.78.
“Oh my gosh, that’s crazy. How did I open (the season) so big?” she recalls thinking. “It’s been every meet, I’m just jumping in the 6.9s and I’m comfortable. This is the new normal now. It’s weird.” She’s not complaining. “When you’re doing well there’s a natural confidence, so now when I’m going into meets I’m never worried about anything. It’s a lot less stressful and I can just perform and have fun.”
Ever since that 6.99-metre jump people have, naturally, been wondering when she’ll reach seven metres.
“I know it’s coming. I’m not so focused on the number . . . with the consistency of the 6.9 jumps, I know that seven will come and then I’ll be consistently in the sevens. I don’t want to jump seven once and have it never happen again,” she said.
“Seven, for sure, hopefully sooner than later. Hopefully at worlds, to win worlds. That would be ideal.”