Before heading for the University of Alabama, Jeremiah Green made one final breathtaking bound at the prep level Saturday evening.
Competing at North Carolina A&T University, the former Hillsborough High star won his second consecutive New Balance Outdoor Nationals triple jump title with a personal-record effort (52 feet, 2 inches).
Green, who won the New Balance Indoor national title (51-6.5) in early March, topped a field of 29 other competitors Saturday. Among them: Lakewood twins Shaquill (49-1.5) and Shaquem Griffin (48-11), who placed fourth and fifth, respectively.
His previous personal-best (52-1.75) occurred at the Florida Relays in April.
"He jumped about a foot behind the board (on the winning jump)," said Hillsborough coach Joe Sipp, who also watched Green win a second consecutive Class 3A state triple jump crown in early May. "He scratched on his first try and we wanted him to get a safe jump."
In other action Saturday in Greensboro, N.C., Jesuit rising senior Nick Catchur finished 19th in the Boys Emerging Elite pole vault competition (14 feet, 2.5 inches). Catchur won the 2A state title on April 27 in Jacksonville (14-6).