By TRAVIS HARSCH
Special to the Advertiser

AUSTIN – Smithville’s Jordan Runnels had one word to describe his performance at the UIL Texas High School Track and Field Championships Saturday morning in Austin.
“Horrible,” he said.
The senior struggled to find his steps in the Class 3A triple jump, finishing seventh with a best jump of 44 feet, 2 inches on his final jump, six inches shorter than his qualifying leap from the regional meet.
“I didn’t hit what I should have,” he said.
Runnels posted a 43-11.5 inch leap on his opening attempt before fouling on his second.
While Runnels had competed at Mike A. Myers Stadium before at the Texas Relay as a runner, Saturday was his first competing in the triple jump.
“It was probably a little bit of nerves, being on a bigger stage,” he said.
Runnels did not surpass his first attempt on his next three tries, with two jumps past 43-0 and one that went 44-2.
Runnels had to wait for his chance and was delayed nearly 12 hours. The Class 3A triple jump finals was originally scheduled for Friday night at the state meet. However, a five-hour rain delay on Friday afternoon forced the event to be moved to Saturday morning.
Runnels said the time change didn’t effect him.
“That’s how we jumped at regionals,” he said. “We were in the morning there, too.”
Taylor’s Mark Jackson, who was among the top jumpers in the nation going into the meet, took his second gold medal at the state championships with a jump of 49-8.75
inches. Taylor also won state gold in the long jump and took home silver in the high jump. He performed well on his future home track, as he will join the University of Texas track and field team this fall.
Cameron Yoe’s Dave Brown was second with a 48-8.35 inch leap and Jarrison Lawson from Texarkana Liberty Eylau, who was the No. 2 seed going into the event, took bronze with a jump of 47-9.5 inch.
Despite the seventh-place finish, Runnels said he enjoyed the state meet.
“It was good to be here, but I wish I’d have done better,” he said.