Unachukwu breaks own SC indoor triple jump record
Marlboro jumper wins FDU Field Invitational
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer
The triple jump may not be a big part of the indoor track and field season, but if it gets many duals like the one that Marlboro's Ada Unachukwu and Cranford's Kelly Burke put on, it may change a few minds.

Burke (36-6½) and Unachukwu (36- 1½) went into the Fairleigh Dickinson University Field Invitational at the FDU Rothman Center on Jan. 22 with the two best jumps in the state. Both improved on their season's bests with Unachukwu coming out on top with a 38-5¼. Burke improved her season's best to 37-6½ in placing second.

Unachukwu broke her own Shore Conference record, which was 36-8½.

"I'm very happy," said the Marlboro junior. "I didn't foul once. I feel I'm coming along. I'm extremely happy."

Unachukwu put together her finest series of jumps ever, not fouling a single time. She started off with a 37-9¼ and followed with 36-8, 38-3¼, 35-6, 38-5¼ and 36-10.

She credited a more uniform run-up with her series of long jumps.

"Oftentimes, I don't hit the board," she explained. "My running has to be consistent each time I run."

That consistency was there in the Rothman Center. She was hitting the board with every jump and subsequently leading to her SC record, which she bested four times.

Unachukwu also took part in the long jump where she finished third at 16-6¾, breaking her Freehold District record 15-10.

"I hadn't done it [long jump] in a long time," she remarked. "I was very surprised [with the result]."

Unachukwu just happens to be one of the state's finest sprinters too. Her jumping is not jus

t something to do to keep her busy.

"I love jumping," she said. "It's something I like doing. It's a lot of fun."

She is just as focused on her jumping as she is her sprinting. She takes the same approach to both.

"I'm having fun in track and field," she said. "I'm dedicated to it."

"You have to practice," she added. "You look at what you do wrong and practice to improve on it."

Unachukwu would be hard pressed to find what she did wrong at the FDU Field