Around Iredell Sports

2008 Jun-12

Mooresville standout a natural talent

Mooresville senior Jamel Allison won his third consecutive state championship in the triple jump this year.

By Brad Norman

Of all the things Jamel Allison can do on the track, the most impressive feats might be the ones the general public never sees.

Known primarily as a premier athlete in the triple jump, Allison routinely puts on a show when the Blue Devils practice.

“He’s crazy with all the athletic ability he has,” Mooresville coach Michael Serefine said. “He can go out and pick up any event and within probably 30 minutes, he can pretty much do that event. He came out and pole vaulted one day just messing around and was clearing 9 feet. He can throw the shot put 35, 40 feet. It’s just raw talent.”

Allison has harnessed that talent to focus on jumping events, and he added the 4x100-meter relay to his resume this year.

The result has been a banner season.

Allison, the R&L boys track and field athlete of the year for the third consecutive season, won two individual state titles and was named MVP of the 3A state championship track meet.

In addition to winning his first long jump championship, Allison picked up his third consecutive triple jump title.

“The first triple jump title was the hardest one,” Allison said. “Then it just got easier. Really, it was too easy.”

So easy, in fact, that one of Allison’s biggest challenges was simply staving off boredom. He was usually in a class by himself in the jumping events, and opted to spend most of his time in practice concentrating on the long jump.

“I practiced more long jump this year than triple jump,” Allison said. “I practiced triple jump maybe once every two weeks. I wanted to win in long jump this year, too.”

So he did, going from not qualifying for the event as a sophomore to winning the title with ease as a senior.

Allison’s jump of 23 feet, 9 inches was easily enough for first place. And that wasn’t even his longest — or favorite — jump of the year.

That distinction came April 15 at the annual Iredell County track and field championships.

With his county peers watching and having seen several good jumps before him, Allison soared to a distance of 24-4, which remains his personal record.

“I was ready for that meet,” Allison said. “That’s my best jump. I was really feeling it. You can feel in it those last couple of steps on the runway, when you don’t have to stretch out or shorten (your stride).”

Allison’s jumps aren’t just impressive in distance, they are aesthetically pleasing as well. And long jumping isn’t supposed to be a thing of beauty.

Athletes can land awkwardly and are often rewarded with a face full of sand as they lean forward, striving for every inch.

Allison doesn’t so much jump into the air as he floats through it, hovering at his peak before landing violently in the sand pit.

“To other people, it looks so effortless,” Serefine said. “He’s so fluid when he’s jumping, which comes from all the work he puts in. He’s so fluid. It’s almost like he’s floating.”

Despite having graduated, Allison’s high school career is not completely over. He will compete in the triple jump and 4x100 relay June 20 and 21 at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro.

“Obviously, being Jamel’s senior year, he’s going to try and go out and earn All-American status, which would be top six,” Serefine said. “He’s going to concentrate more on the triple jump. There’s one or two guys that are over 50 feet, but Jamel can get right there with them.”

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