High school track roundup: Emerald Ridge’s Gero-Holt ties national freshman high jump record
Bob Frey remembers the moment he watched JaiCieonna Gero-Holt compete in the high jump for the first time.
He attended a youth meet in 2019, dressed in Emerald Ridge coaching garb. Parents approached him with news: “You’re gonna get this kid. This kid’s coming to you.”
Frey, at first, thought little of it. Gero-Holt was only a sixth grader. She wouldn’t compete at the high school level until 2022.
But on that day, Gero-Holt shattered Emerald Ridge’s girls high jump record as a sixth grader.
By four inches.
She cleared the crossbar that sat at 5-7. No girl in the high school’s history had reached 5-4.
“She has a drive like no other kid I’ve ever been around to just be the absolute best,” Frey said. “And in sports, a lot of people talk about going to the Olympics, or going to the NBA, or going to the NFL or whatnot. She believes that. She believes that she’s doing everything possible in her power to make that achievable for herself.”
Last month, Gero-Holt set a personal-best high jump of 6-0. On April 16 at the Skipper’s Elite Athlete South Sound Classic, she extended beyond that, reaching 6-0.75. That tied a national freshman record, set by Jenna Rogers (Rutherford, NJ, 2017) and Alyssa Jones (Southridge, Miami, FL, 2019).
“It really hasn’t sunk in yet. Like, it’s still unbelievable,” Gero-Holt said. “I don’t know. Obviously each year that you do something, you’ll improve.
“But I was not expecting that much improvement.”
Gero-Holt was referred to the sport by her mother and grandmother at the age of seven. Already a participant in gymnastics and soccer leagues, her family suggested track and field. She agreed, though she almost decided against it at the last minute when sign-ups neared.
For the Emerald Ridge phenom, it’s a funny story. “If they wouldn’t have signed me up, then I wouldn’t have found my passion for the sport.”
At last weekend’s personal-best-setting meet, Gero-Holt actually thought she had reached 6-1, which would have set the all-time freshman record for high jump in the country. Once measurements were ratified by officials, her score settled at 6-0.75.
“I’m gonna be honest. It was (frustrating), a little bit,” Gero-Holt said. “I try to not let that get to me because I know it’s not the end of the world. I’ve got plenty of time still for the rest of the year.”
Gero-Holt’s new goal: 6-2. She’s hoping to reach that height by the state tournament, though it’d be nice to achieve it earlier, she admits.
And aside from the high jump, Gero-Holt bests the state in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.49 seconds. Of all 4A girls, she’s second in the long jump at 18 feet. Her 200-meter dash time of 26.25 seconds ranks in the state’s top-10. In both the shotput (39-2.25) and javelin (124-5), Gero-Holt ranks third.
Emerald Ridge’s track and field teams – both boys and girls – rank first of all 4A programs. Gero-Holt loves her teammates, she says: “They’re super supportive. There’s nobody that’s hating on each other. We lift each other up. … I’m proud to be a Jaguar.”
WIAA’s Track and Field state tournament runs from May 26-28, and Gero-Holt should certainly snag spots for multiple events. She’ll need a top-eight score to move from the 4A SPSL league championship to the West Central District meet; from there, six state spots are allocated.
“The more I do it, the more I love it,” Gero-Holt said. “And everybody’s always like, ‘oh, you’ve been doing it for so long, you’re not burnt out yet?’
“I wouldn’t say I am, because I want to do this until my knees say no.”
TWINS AT THE TOP
Capital junior Hana Moll is the second-best pole vaulter in the state, reaching a new personal-best height of 13-10 on April 9.
Only her twin sister, Amanda, ranks better. She’s nearly an entire foot higher at 14-9.5.
And Amanda doesn’t just top the leaderboard in Washington State.
She’s the best female pole vaulter in the country.
“We’ve been in the same sports all our lives,” Hana told The News Tribune last season. “We’ve always been together. Our competitiveness is not toxic, but we always push each other. I don’t feel bad if she does better than me. I love competing with her in the same events. She’s always my supporter. I’m never scared to go on the runway alone. I always have her.”
SENTINEL SPRINTERS
Spanaway Lake’s 4x100 meter relay team clocked a 42.74-second time at Rogers High School on April 6, marking the best time in the state by more than four tenths of a second (Skyline High School, 43.16 seconds). They’re led by Jermaine Broussard, Laron Page, D’Aryhian Clemons, and Nevada football commit KeeKee McQueen.
Curtis’ relay squad ran the state’s third-best 4x100 meter time of 43.27 seconds at the Curtis Viking Relay Championship on March 26. At the KM invite in Kent – and on the same day – Federal Way’s time of 43.44 seconds was good for fifth in the state rankings.
BEST IN STATE FROM THE SOUTH SOUND
Men’s Triple Jump: Kael Probst, Gig Harbor, sr. – 44’ 10”
Women’s Triple Jump: Esther Akinlosotu, Federal Way, sr. – 38’ 8.75”
Women’s 200 meters: Brooke Lyons, Tahoma, jr. – 25.28
Women’s 4x200 meters: Savannah Kambich, Marissa Crane, Elise Hopper, Ella Hopper, South Kitsap – 1:43.26
Women’s 4x400 meters: Marissa Crane, Savannah Kambich, Lauren Laws, Ella Hopper, South Kitsap – 3:56.83
Men’s 3000 meters: Ethan Coleman, Olympia, sr. – 8:20.79
Men’s 3200 meters: Ethan Coleman, Olympia, sr. – 8:51.09
