South Pasadena High Student Triple Jumper Competes in State Track and Field Championship

Sophomore Triple jumper from South Pasadena High competes at high level in Clovis, California

PHOTO: South Pasadena High School | SouthPasadenan.com | South Pasadena High triple jumper TH Wei, left, finished 5th at the CIF California Track and Field Championships. He is joined by Freshman Mia Burnett, a freshman at Village Christian High who finished sixth in the 1600 meter run and freshman Audrey Suarez of Mayfield High in Pasadena, who finished 5th in the 1600 meters. All train locally with Pyramid Athletics, a private track club.

An outstanding performance was turned in by TH Wei last weekend as the South Pasadena High sophomore came away with a 5th place finish in the triple jump at the CIF State Track and Field Championships in Clovis.

Wei took home a medal as he leaped 47 feet – 4 inches against the top triple jumpers in California.

PHOTO: South Pasadena High School | SouthPasadenan.com | Fifth place medal earned by TH WEI at this year’s CIF State Track and Field Championships in Clovis, California.

And with it came plenty of praise from his coach, C.B. Richards.

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“TH is a young track athlete with natural talented sprint speed combined with good jumping ability and high leg strength,” he explained. “Mixed with his great work ethic and being very coachable, it gives him the right combination for success in the triple jump.”

PHOTO: South Pasadena High School | SouthPasadenan.com | South Pasadena High’s TH WEI jumped 47’-4” for 5th place in state championship triple jump competition.

It took him only two jumps in the prelims on Friday to qualify for Saturday’s finals. He was ranked third heading into the championship round as he was allowed six attempts. His second leap in the finals was Wei’s best of the day, when he went four inches beyond the 47feet mark.

He excited the crowd at one point of the competition on Saturday when it appeared he had leaped just short of 49 feet on one jump. However, the leap was ruled a scratch as Wei was barely over the take off foul line.

“It made for some excitement and fun,” said Richards.

PHOTO: South Pasadena High School | South Pasadena High Coach C.B. Richards, left, is joined by Camero Gomez, Mayfield; Mia Burnett, Village Christian; Audrey Suarez, Mayfield; Sai Grant, South Pasadena High; Emma Caddena, Mayfield, and SPHS assistant coach Eric Sun.

To medal at the state meet is a seven-step process starting with qualifying for the Rio Hondo League prelims, followed by the league finals, CIF prelims, CIF finals, CIF Masters, State prelims, and ultimately the state finals.

TH went 47’-6” to earn second place at the CIF Masters, setting a new school record, and making him State Meet bound.

“His high level of academics as a 4.0-plus student gives him the ability to bring his mental part of success in the classroom to mix well with his athletic talents,” Richards said of Wei.

Reaching elite status hasn’t come overnight and is a lot more than good fortune for Wei, noted his coach. “It’s a mix of the right athletic management, yearly planning, staying healthy, correct coaching and lots of dedication by TH,” explained Richards. “When it comes together, you reach this level of success.”