Grace

Upshaw

Event: Long Jump

Career Highlights

2008 Olympic Trials runner-up; 3-time USA Outdoor champion ('03, '05, '07); 3rd at 2006 USA Outdoor; 2004 Olympian; 2002 USA Indoor Champion; 4-time USA Outdoor runner-up ('01, '02, '03 & '04); 2004 USA Indoor runner-up

Upshaw qualified for her second Olympic Team with her runner-up performance in the women's long jump at the 2008 Olympic Trials...Upshaw moved from fifth to first on her final jump to claim her third national title at the 2007 USA Outdoor Championships...She had one of her best seasons in 2004...she made her first Olympic team with her runner-up finish at the 2004 Olympic Trials...after a two-year hiatus from jumping, Upshaw returned to the national scene in 2000, and in 2003 she won her first U.S. outdoor title...she was the dominant American, posting the top 5 U.S. marks of the year and 7 of the top 10...her biggest achievement may have come when won the Norwich Union Challenge with a wind-aided jump of 6.99m/22-11.25, beating #1 world-ranked Tatyana Kotova of Russia...at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials, Upshaw finished ninth. In 2001, Upshaw placed 2nd at the USA Outdoor Championships, but lacked the ‘A' standard and did not qualify to compete at the IAAF World Championships in Edmonton...her seasonal best of 6.60m/21-8 in placing fourth in Khania was the second best performance by an American in 2002...has an American Studies degree from Cal-Berkeley...her father, Monte Upshaw, was a high school phenom in the long jump. On May 29, 1954, Monte Upshaw broke Jesse Owens' national scholastic record in the event (24-11.25, set in 1933) with his jump of 25-4.25 at the California state championships. Monte finished 1954 ranked #5 in the world by Track & Field News, but a leg injury as a freshman at Cal ended his jumping career...her sister Joy, is a track coach and competes as a masters athlete.

Competition Results:
2008: Olympic Trials runner-up (6.88m/22-7)...4th at Nike Prefontaine Classic (6.68m/21-11w)...1st at adidas Track Classic (6.68m/21-11)
2007: USA Outdoor champion (6.74m/22-1.5w)...10th in qual. at World Outdoors (6.47m/21-2.75)...1st at UTEP Invitational (6.68m/21-11)...4th at Doha (6.60m/21-8)...5th at Madrid (6.74m/22-1.5w)...5th at Bad Langensalza (6.72m/22-0.5)...ranked #2 in the U.S. by T&FN...best of 6.74m/22-1.5.
2006: 3rd at USA Outdoor (6.65m/21-10)...3rd at USA Indoors (6.49m/21-3.5) ... 3rd in Group B qualifying at World Indoors (6.44m/21-1.5)... 2nd at Nike Prefontaine Classic (6.49m/21-3.5w)... 4th at London Grand Prix (6.50m/21-4)...ranked #4 in the U.S. by T&FN...best of 66.5m/21-10.
2005: USA Outdoor champion (6.70m/21-11.75)... 7th at World Outdoors (6.51m/21-4.25)...3rd at Nike Prefontaine Classic (6.49m/21-3.5)...1st at Payton Jordan US Open (6.73/22-1)...2nd at Osaka (6.59m/21-7.5)...1st at Palo Alto (6.73m/22-1)...3rd at Eugene (6.49m/21-3.5)...3rd at Madrid (6.87m/22-6.5w)...3rd at London (6.56m/21-6.25)...1st at Stock (6.60m/21-8)...3rd at Brussels (6.53m/21-5.25)...3rd at DecaNation (6.59m/21-7.5)...3rd at World Athletics Finals (6.67m/21-10.75)...ranked #4 in the world (#2 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 6.73/22-1.
2004: Olympic Trials runner-up (6.77m/22-2.5)...10th at Olympic Games (6.64m/21-9.5)...USA Indoor runner-up (6.43m/21-1.25i)...6th in qualifying group at World Indoors (6.49m/21-3.5-dnq)...2nd in Nike Prefontaine Classic (6.88m/22-7w)...1st at Martinique (6.62m/21-8.75)...2nd at Home Depot (6.62m/21-8.75)...1st at Payton Jordan US Open (6.62m/21-8.75)...2nd at Stockholm (6.71m/22-0.25)...2nd at IAAF Japan Grand Prix (6.58m/21-7.25)...2nd at Home Depot (6.83m/22-5)...3rd at Rieti (6.77m/22-2.5)...ranked #9 in the world (#2 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 6.83m/22-5.25.