UK high jumper No. 1 in NCAA after record day. ‘She’s got a bigger jump in her.’
University of Kentucky track and field star Ellen Ekholm continues to raise the bar this season. Both literally and figuratively.
The senior from Gothenburg, Sweden, won the high-jump competition in the Rod McCravy Memorial at the University of Kentucky’s Nutter Field House on Saturday, clearing 1.86 meters (about 6 feet, 1 1/2 inches) to break both the personal and program records she set the week before at Texas A&M. Her jump is also the best in the NCAA this season.
A field of 24 Saturday was eventually winnowed to Ekholm and her teammate, Carly Hinkle.
Hinkle finished second with a mark of 1.71. She came up short attempting 1.76, leaving Ekholm competing against herself. Ekholm cleared 1.86 with ease, then popped up with a smile and a fist pump before celebrating with Hinkle and some other teammates.
“Last week it felt great because it had been a while since I’d set a (personal record),” Ekholm said. “Today felt even better because I started kind of slow, and didn’t feel great in the warm-up. So when I cleared it, it felt great. I landed in the pit and was like ‘yes, I saved the day.’”
Hinkle said it’s been “amazing” to watch Ekholm push her talent into new territory this season.
“I just know how hard she’s worked for it, and to watch her breaking records is unreal. She was so happy and I was so happy for her,” Hinkle said. “We had a big hug in Texas when she did it last weekend and I was like ‘don’t cry, because I’m about to cry.’”
Ekholm, who won the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Championship last spring, is the first member of her immediate family to compete in track and field. She was introduced to high jump as a young girl at summer camp in Sweden.
“My mom decided it would be good for me to go to this camp. I started jumping there and loved it, and here I am.”
Ekholm was recruited to Kentucky by former coach Edrick Floreal. But UK’s current coach, Lonnie Greene, was ecstatic to inherit her when he took over the program before last season. And he plans to keep pushing her.
“I’ve always thought Ellen could do this. And I think she’s got an even bigger performance in her. When you’re performing this well this early in the year, I truly believe she’s got a bigger jump in her,” Greene said. “The goal for Ellen is to jump (1.91) and she’s right there at the door. When she got 1.86 today there was all kinds of daylight between her and the bar.”
After winning the SEC title last year with a leap 1.82 meters (5 feet, 11.5 inches), Ekholm finished ninth at the NCAA Outdoors.
Greene said if Ekholm continues to improve she can make a run at the NCAA title “every day of the week and twice on Sunday.”
Ekholm wants to leave her mark at Kentucky, but her athletic career won’t come to an end when she graduates in May.
“I want to keep jumping and see where it goes,” she said. “The Olympics and the European and World (Championships) are on my radar. It’s always been a goal. I’m not trying to stress anything, if it happens it happens. But I’m definitely planning to keep jumping.
Click here for live results from the Rod McCravy Memorial.
