Olympian Chantel Malone impressed at the PURE Athletics Sprint Elite Meet clinching a remarkable first-place finish in the women’s long jump event held at the NTC Training Center in Clermont, Florida on Saturday.
Competing in only her second event of the 2024 season following a recovery from a knee injury, Malone was several steps ahead of her competition with her commanding performance. In her opening attempt, she soared to a winning leap of 6.53 meters, setting the tone for her stellar performance. Despite facing challenges with two fouls on her third and sixth attempts, Malone consistently registered impressive distances above 6 meters, with marks of 6.49, 6.52, and 6.45 meters.
Malone’s dominance was further highlighted by the considerable gap between her and the competition, with the second-best long jumper, Breanna Brown-Marshall, managing a best jump of 5.99 meters from her six attempts.
The PURE Athletics Sprint Elite Meet marked a significant improvement for Malone following her fourth-place finish at the East Coast Relays in Jacksonville, Florida, on April 26. Her exceptional showing at the meet represented her best performance since 2021, underscoring her determination to return to where she belongs, among the top women’s long jumpers in the world.
With her sights set on qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in France, Malone remains focused on her journey. Her next scheduled meet is the Adidas Atlanta City Meet on May 18, where she aims to continue her impressive form and further advance towards her Olympic aspirations.