KOBE, JAPAN – Four-time Paralympic medalist Roderick Townsend (Stockton, California) hasn’t lost a major high jump T47 competition in nearly a decade, and he continued his streak of dominance in the pouring rain tonight for his fifth consecutive world title. Townsend battled through inclement weather to lead Team USA on the third day of the 2024 Para Athletics World Championships in Kobe, Japan.

Townsend, who broke his own world record in the event at last year’s world championships, jumped 2.05 meters to best Nishad Kumar of India for the win.

“I feel great physically, I’m very fit and happy with where I’m at,” Townsend said. “It was tough with the weather. We have a lot of great guys in this field, a lot of young guys coming up right now, so I’m just extremely happy to be able to do this again.”

After a fifth-place finish in long jump last night, Townsend was able to focus in on his high jump and come out with a victory.

“My whole motto going into this season was just to be happy, be humble,” he said. “This is the season I’ve been most excited about – it’s different than any other, and I definitely feel that. Right now I’m just enjoying the process and although the mark isn’t what I wanted to see, I’m super grateful to be able to pull out another victory. I’m using this momentum to get ready for Paris.”

The 10-time world championships medalist, who won his first world title in 2015 and has since dominated the world championship and Paralympic scene, reflected on his success post-race.

“When I first started this in 2015, I had no clue where I’d end up,” he said. “As excited as I am to be here, I’m just so thankful to see what this journey has looked like. It’s been nine years of just jumping. This one meant a lot to me, and I just want to be able to have a decade of dominance.”

Team USA’s other reigning high jump world champion Ezra Frech (Los Angeles, California) nearly had a long jump podium in the men’s T63 competition, but fell centimeters short of his first career international long jump medal. Frech saved his best jump for last, finishing with a mark of 6.58 meters that pulled him within seven centimeters of the podium.

The 2020 Paralympian and current world record holder in high jump will return for his signature event on May 21.

“High jump is the bread and butter, it’s my first time defending my title, which is very exciting,” Frech said. “As frustrated as I am with how today went, life goes on. There’s bigger fish to fry. I’ve got to go defend my world title in a few days, and I know that when Paris rolls around I’ll be on the podium in all three [of his events], and that’s something I’m very confident about. I’m confident in my training, I feel very prepared.”

In her international debut, 16-year-old Arelle Middleton (Rancho Cucamonga, California) competed as the youngest member of the women’s discus F64 field and placed sixth with a best throw of 28.98 meters. Middleton, who was named one of U.S. Paralympics Track & Field High School Athletes of the Year this year, will return to the track for her signature event, the shot put, later in the competition.

A two-time medalist at the 2023 Santiago Parapan American Games, Robert Hunt (Spokane, Washington) opened his competition in Kobe with a sixth-place finish in the men’s 400-meter T53. A veteran on the team, Hunt last competed on a world championship stage in 2013.

After qualifying for the women’s 100-meter T38 final, Catarina Guimaraes (Cranford, New Jersey) finished her first-ever world championships event in eighth place. She will return to the track for the 200-meter, 400-meter and long jump – her best event.

Racing in preliminary heats, two-time Paralympic champion Breanna Clark (Los Angeles, California) qualified for the final of the women’s 400-meter T20 and was set to seek a four-peat of the world championship title in the event final tomorrow night. Clark, however, later was forced to withdraw from the final due to injury.

Coming off his Americas Record in the event at the worlds qualifying meet, Hunter Woodhall (Syracuse, New York) won his heat of the men’s 100-meter T64 race to earn a spot in tomorrow night’s final. He will be joined by U.S. teammates Derek Loccident (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) and Blake Leeper (Kingsport, Tennessee), who also advanced through to the final. Loccident won the silver medal in last night’s high jump competition, while Leeper, who nabbed 400-meter T64 silver at last year’s world championships, made his Kobe debut in tonight’s prelims.

Competition resumes tomorrow at 9 a.m. local time at the Universiade Memorial Stadium in Kobe. All sessions will be streamed live on the Paralympics YouTube Channel and the World Para Athletics Facebook page. For updates and results from Team USA, follow U.S. Paralympics Track & Field on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

For media requests and photo inquiries, please contact Kristen Gowdy at Kristen.Gowdy@usopc.org.

Team USA Medals – May 19

GOLD
Roderick Townsend – men’s

Other Team USA Results
Ezra Frech – 4th, men’s long jump T63

Robert Hunt – 6th, men’s 400-meter T53

Arelle Middleton – 6th, women’s discus F64

Catarina Guimaraes – 8th, women’s 100-meter T38

Breanna Clark – finals, women’s 400-meter T20

Blake Leeper – finals, men’s 100-meter T64

Hunter Woodhall – finals, men’s 100-meter T64

Derek Loccident – finals, men’s 100-meter T64

Townsend Soars to Fifth Consecutive High Jump World Title

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