This spring, sophomore dual-sport star Adoree' Jackson elected to focus exclusively on his track & field pursuits, taking the spring season off from football to focus on making the Olympic Trials. It's evident after this weekend that his choice is paying off, at least as far as USC Director of Track & Field Caryl Smith-Gilbert is concerned.
In USC and UCLA's annual dual meet on Sunday, Jackson won the long jump, 100m and 4x100m relay (along with fellow USC football players Ronald Jones II and Dominic Davis) and placed second in the 200m, single-handedly scoring 13 points for USC and helping the Trojans earn five more in the relay.
His 10.38 in the 100m was a personal record, the men's relay time of 39.89 was a season best, but despite winning the long jump with a mark of 25-4.75, Jackson told Lindsey Thiry of the LA Times he was unsatisfied with his performance. With the final regular season meet now behind him, Jackson's full focus is on finishing the year strong enough in the Pac-12 and NCAA Championships to qualify for the Olympic Trials. The top 24 long jumpers in the country will qualify, and the sophomore can also earn a trip to Eugene with a mark of 26-5.
"I'm not even worried about that," Jackson told Thiry. "At the end of the day you just got to go out there and compete and let it come to you. ...That's why I'm being patient and the mark is going to come."
