Top 10 Moments of 2016 - Number #1

No. 1 - Leaping Into History

New York had some of the top talent in the country in 2016.  But one performance stood out from the rest.  No other moment had the power to stop the entire State Meet Competition in recognition of it's significance.  None had the suspense and build up like our Top Moment did.  And despite State Records, Course Records, and All-Time bests, one mark surpassed them all in terms of historical significance.  All it took was one jump for Rayvon Grey of Beacon to join the pantheon of New York's greatest, and it wasn't even his furthest of his career.

The story began brewing as Indoor Track opened.  As a Junior, Grey was an adequate jumper, but had never broken 23-5 in the Long Jump.  His talents were more shifted towards the Triple Jump, where he was regularly hitting 49+,eventually taking fourth at New Balance Outdoor Nationals.  Grey returned in 2016 to open the season well again in the Triple Jump, hitting a personal best in early December.  However, as Grey began to realize, as his Triple Jump was more consistent, his Long Jumping abilities began to excel as well.

Grey's first ever jump over 23-5 came in the second week of competition Indoors.  At the Jim Mitchell Invite, Grey launched an incredible 24-8 to win the competition.  All of a sudden, the mark made Grey New York's fourth best Long Jumper of All-Time.  The season continued, with several marks over 24 yet again, moving up to #3 All-Time with a 24-11.5 effort at Sectionals.  Surely, Grey was ready to capture a State Title.

But things don't always work out the way you want.  Grey smashed the State Qualifier, and made it to Cornell as by far, the favorite.  However, Grey couldn't find consistency on the board, and fouled two of his three jumps, his safety jump not making the finals.  His teammate, Terrel Davis, would go on to win the title, while Grey would return to his first love, the Triple Jump, to grab a State Title of his own.  For every unfortunate circumstance, there is a silver lining.  At the following week, Grey pushed his steps back towards the tail end of the runway, and let all the frustrations loose.  His first attempt was a fol, only fueling his fire.  On his second attempt, Grey barrelled down the runway, and let rip an astounding 25-7.5.  The mark was well clear of any of the competition on the day, but there was still one caveat.  The mark matched the then-standing State Record set by Marvin Forde in 1993.  He would forever have to share the title, as co-State Record Holder.

But Grey wasn't done.  After a choppy third jump, he had made it to the finals.  He passed his first attempt, trying to collect himself.  With his mind focused on the task, Grey went for broke on the runway.  As soon as he reached his apex, he knew it was special.  He stepped out of the sand, and saw the mark.  US #3 All-Time, and only the third athlete ever over 26ft, at 26-0.25.  He had jumped further than anyone had in the past thirty years!  And still, it wouldn't top a moment further into his career.  It was on to Outdoors.

As the newly minted Indoor State Record Holder, it was only natural for Grey to start looking Outdoors for another opportunity to set a precedent.  But this record was different.  It was the oldest record on the books, dating all the way back to 1965.  Set by a young athlete, who himself was considered to be a better triple jumper at the time, captured the State Record at 25-3.  The young man was named Bob Beamon, and he would later go on, only a short three years later, to blow away the world with a New World Record in the Long Jump, a mark which stood for nearly 30 years.  The jump of 29-2.5 still stands as the Olympic Meet Record, despite the best athletes in the world taking numerous attempts at it.  This was the man Grey was chasing, the man who coined the term "Beamonesque" to describe an athletic achievement thought inconceivable until finally attained.

The season started with a trial by fire.  The Penn Relays were up, and Grey would face off with a familiar face.  Grant Holloway of VA is one of the country's greatest All-Around talents, and was the National Champ-to-be indoors, jumping 25-11 earlier Indoors, before Grey came around.  The battle raged on at Franklin Field, and tit-for-tat, Grey answered all of Holloway's jumps.  And yet, much like the prelims at Nationals, Grey came up just short.  He finished the competition with a legal win at 25-2.5, just half an inch short of the record.

With such a strong opening, it was only logical that Grey would surpass the record.  But days turned into weeks, and mother nature was not aiding in a storybook aiding.  Competitions turned local, which meant illegal pits, or rough venues.  The premiere Loucks Games, a target on Grey's calendar, had been hit with middling rain, side-lining any big marks in the pits.  With warmer weather on the way, Grey's marks began to improve.  He hit 24-7 at Sectionals, and then took one big jump at State Quals to match his 25-2 from Penn Relays, but alas, no wind-reading.  Time was running out, and Grey saw it coming. Only the State Meet and Nationals remained, both of which are not known for their cooperative weather.  Grey needed a pick-me-up, and one just happened to stop by.

Set up by Frank Shorter, of marathon fame, Rayvon Grey got to meet the man himself.  Arranged via his coaches, Bob Beamon made a trip to Middletown, NY, to meet with Grey, and discuss the pursuit of his record.  They talked technique, motivation, and encouragement.  Grey was ready to roll when he arrived at Cicero-North Syracuse, but yet again, mother nature was not one to cooperate.

The morning of the State Meet, the wind was unprecedented.  Athletes were hitting lifetime bests with gusts as strong as 5mph at their back.  Great for distances, not so much for records.  Everyone knew what was on the line.  As if predestined, the weather began to subside late in the day, with only two events left to contest.  One of which just so happened to be the Long Jump.  The crowd sensed the possibilities, and crowded around the pits.  Rayvon launched himself at the pit, with little regard, and quickly opened up the day with a 25-0 performance.  One more attempt, this time at 24-10, and Grey knew what needed to be done.  Like he had indoors, Grey took time to refocus.  He passed his final attempt, safely into the finals.

Like Indoors, it would be that first jump of the finals that would silence the crowd.  He took off from the line, reaching towards the end of the pit without reservation, grabbing every inch of the jump he could.  He landed safely in the pit, and crowd was shocked.  They knew it would be big, but just how big?  The landing was mark,and the tape pulled.  The official asked for a second opinion.  The two conferred, and radioed the head official for confirmation.  The entire meet came to a grinding halt.  The head official looked at the mark, certifying it as legal, and the crowd went wild.  Rayvon Grey had hit a wind-legal 25-4.5, breaking the former State Record by a full inch.  It defined the entire build-up of two seasons worth of work.  The pressure was on, as warm temperatures would go on to stymied the competition at NBON the following week, where Grey would once again win the title.  It all came down to one jump, and Grey captured every bit of the moment.

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