Vashti Cunningham
{{short description|American high jumper}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Vashti Cunningham
| image = USATF day 3 2018 (41165573430).jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Cunningham at the 2018 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|1|18}}
| birth_place = Las Vegas, Nevada{{cite web |url=https://www.teamusa.org/usa-track-and-field/athletes/Vashti-Cunningham |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160727135100/http://www.teamusa.org/usa-track-and-field/athletes/Vashti-Cunningham |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 27, 2016 |title=Vashti Cunningham |website=teamusa.org |publisher=USOC |access-date=June 21, 2021}}
| height = 186 cm{{cite web |url=https://www.eurosport.com/athletics/vashti-cunningham_prs445532/person.shtml |title=Vashti Cunningham |website=eurosport.com|publisher=Eurosport |access-date=5 March 2023}}
| sport = Track and field
| event = High jump
| club = Nike
| turnedpro = 2016
| pb = High jump outdoor: {{T&Fcalc|2.02}} (Chula Vista 2021)
High jump indoor: {{T&Fcalc|2.00}} (Fayetteville 2021)
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport|Women's athletics}}
{{MedalCountry|the {{USA}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|World Championships}}
{{Medal|Bronze|2019 Doha|High jump}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Indoor Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2016 Portland|High jump}}
{{MedalSilver|2018 Birmingham|High jump}}
{{MedalCompetition|Pan American Junior Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2015 Edmonton|High jump}}
}}
Vashti Cunningham (born January 18, 1998) is an American track and field athlete specializing in the high jump. She is the daughter of retired National Football League (NFL) quarterback Randall Cunningham, niece of retired NFL fullback Sam Cunningham, and the younger sister of Randall Cunningham II. Her mother is Felicity de Jager Cunningham, a former ballerina with the Dance Theatre of Harlem.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetorch/2016/06/30/483838674/a-gifted-high-jumper-gets-set-to-leap-onto-the-world-stage|title=A Gifted High Jumper Gets Set To Leap Onto The World Stage|website=Npr.org|access-date=July 18, 2018}} Vashti, like her brother two years ahead of her in school, jumped for Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada until March 2016 when she signed with Nike. She announced at that time she intended to continue her education at a university while competing as a professional athlete.{{cite web|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/bishop-gorman-s-vashti-cunningham-turns-pro-signs-nike|title=Bishop Gorman's Vashti Cunningham turns pro, signs with Nike|date=March 21, 2016|website=Reviewjournal.com|access-date=July 18, 2018}}
Jumping career
On April 18, 2015, at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, California, Cunningham jumped {{T&Fcalc|1.94}},[http://www.mtsacrelays.com/2015/results/041815results.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427142851/http://www.mtsacrelays.com/2015/results/041815results.htm |date=April 27, 2015 }} to set the new national high school record. At age 17, that was also equal to the No. 4 world Youth mark (under 19 years old).{{cite web|url=http://www.iaaf.org/records/toplists/jumps/high-jump/outdoor/women/youth|title=IAAF: High Jump - women - u18 - outdoor - iaaf.org|website=Iaaf.org|access-date=July 18, 2018}} At that date it was the No. 3 mark in the world in 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.iaaf.org/records/toplists/jumps/high-jump/outdoor/women/senior/2015|title=IAAF: High Jump - women - senior - outdoor - 2015 - iaaf.org|website=Iaaf.org|access-date=July 18, 2018}} She was named USATF Athlete of the Week for that performance.[http://www.usatf.org/News/Vashti-Cunningham-named-USATF-Athlete-of-the-Week.aspx] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151008105555/http://www.usatf.org/News/Vashti-Cunningham-named-USATF-Athlete-of-the-Week.aspx |date=October 8, 2015 }} On June 27, 2015, she won the U.S. Junior National Championship.{{cite web|url=http://www.flashresults.com/2015_Meets/Outdoor/06-25_USATF/072-1_compiled.htm|title=Women High Jump JR|website=Flashresults.com|access-date=July 18, 2018}} A month later at the 2015 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships, she improved again, jumping {{T&Fcalc|1.96}}. That mark equaled the World Youth Best.
On March 12, 2016, Vashti jumped {{T&Fcalc|1.99}} while winning the 2016 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Portland, Oregon.{{cite web|url=http://www.flashresults.com/2016_Meets/Indoor/03-11_USATF/011-1_compiled.htm|title=Women High Jump|website=Flashresults.com|access-date=July 18, 2018}} The mark established a new World Junior Record. At the time, just one week before the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships, which were held in the same facility in the Portland convention center, Cunningham's jump was the No. 1 jump in the world in 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/vashti-cunningham-us-indoor-portland|title=IAAF: Teenage star Cunningham flies high at US Indoor Championships- News - iaaf.org|website=Iaaf.org|access-date=July 18, 2018}} Eight days later, she won the World Indoor Championship.
In March 2017, Cunningham jumped {{T&Fcalc|1.96}} to win at 2017 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships. On April 15, 2017, Cunningham jumped {{T&Fcalc|1.94}} to win in Torrance, California at Mt. SAC Relays, two weeks later she jumped {{T&Fcalc|1.95}} to win at Penn Relays. Cunningham jumped {{T&Fcalc|1.95}} to place 3rd behind World Champion Mariya Lasitskene on May 27 in Eugene at IAAF Diamond League 2017 Prefontaine Classic. On June 23, Cunningham jumped {{T&Fcalc|1.99}} to win in 2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Sacramento State University. On July 9, 2017, Cunningham jumped {{T&Fcalc|1.97}} to place 2nd at London Müller Anniversary Games. On July 21, 2017, Cunningham jumped {{T&Fcalc|1.97}} to place 3rd at IAAF Diamond League 2017 Herculis in Fontvieille, Monaco. On August 12, 2017, Cunningham jumped {{T&Fcalc|1.92}} to place 10th at World Championships.
On February 18, 2018, Cunningham jumped {{T&Fcalc|1.97}} to win third consecutive high jump indoor title and 4th US senior title at 2018 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico. On March 1, Cunningham jumped {{T&Fcalc|1.93}} to place second behind World Champion Mariya Lasitskene in high jump at 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
On July 7, 2023, Vashti Cunningham claimed her 13th U.S. high jump title with a victory at the U.S. outdoor track and field championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Competition record
| {{AchievementTable}} |
| colspan="6"|Representing the {{USA}} |
|---|
| 2015
|Pan American Junior Championships |bgcolor=gold|1st |1.96 m{{ref label|a|a|a}} |
| rowspan=2|2016
|bgcolor=gold|1st |
| Olympic Games
|13th |
| 2017
|10th |
| 2018
|bgcolor=silver|2nd |
| 2019
|bgcolor=cc9966| 3rd |
| 2021
|6th |
| rowspan=2|2022
|18th (q) |
| NACAC Championships
|bgcolor=gold|1st |
| 2023
|11th |
| rowspan=2|2024
|― |DNS |
| Olympic Games
|5th |1.95 |
| 2025
|10th |
:{{note label|a|a|a}}Pan American junior championships record and world youth record
=USA national championships and Olympic trials=
| {{AchievementTable}}
|rowspan=2|2016 |2016 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships |bgcolor=gold|1st |1.99 m |
| 2016 United States Olympic trials
|bgcolor=silver|2nd |1.97 m{{ref label|a|a|a}} |
| rowspan=2|2017
|2017 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships |bgcolor=gold|1st |1.96 m |
| 2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
|bgcolor=gold|1st |1.99 m{{ref label|b|b|b}} |
| rowspan=2|2018
|2018 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships |Albuquerque, New Mexico |bgcolor=gold|1st |1.97 m |
| 2018 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
|bgcolor=gold|1st |1.95 m |
| rowspan=2|2019
|2019 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships |bgcolor=gold|1st |1.96 m |
| 2019 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
|Des Moines, Iowa |bgcolor=gold|1st |1.96 m |
| 2020
|2020 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships |Albuquerque, New Mexico |bgcolor=gold|1st |
| 2021
|2020 United States Olympic trials |Eugene, Oregon |bgcolor=gold|1st |1.96 m |
| rowspan=2|2022
|2022 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships |bgcolor=gold|1st |1.91 m |
| 2022 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
|Eugene, Oregon |bgcolor=gold|1st |1.93 m |
| rowspan=2|2023
|2023 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships |Albuquerque, New Mexico |bgcolor=gold|1st |
| 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
|Eugene, Oregon |bgcolor=gold|1st |1.91 m |
| rowspan=2|2024
|2024 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships |Albuquerque, New Mexico |bgcolor=gold|1st |1.92 m |
| 2024 United States Olympic trials
|Eugene, Oregon |bgcolor=cc9966|3rd |1.91 m |
:{{note label|a|a|a}}American junior record
:{{note label|b|b|b}}American junior outdoor record
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IAAF}}
- {{Sports-reference}}
- [https://www.npr.org/2016/06/30/484215849/olympic-hopeful-high-jumper-vashti-cunningham-sets-sights-on-rio Olympic hopeful high jumper sets sights on Rio] from National Public Radio
- [http://www.usatf.tv/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=45365&do=videos&video_id=169173 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships]
{{Footer World Indoor Champions High Jump Women}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 2016 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 2020 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 2024 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer Team USA Track & Field 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships}}
{{USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners in women's high jump}}
{{Footer US NC High Jump Women}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cunningham, Vashti}}
Category:Sportspeople from Las Vegas
Category:American female high jumpers
Category:Bishop Gorman High School alumni
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic track and field athletes for the United States
Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for the United States
Category:World Athletics Championships medalists
Category:Track and field athletes from Nevada
Category:USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners
Category:USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners
Category:World Athletics Indoor Championships winners
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Category:21st-century American sportswomen
Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics