Track Star Jumps to National Championship Podium

Connor Cooper didn’t shy away from the national stage in his first attempt at track glory, and was rewarded greatly for it.

The Durbin Avenue School student, who qualified to compete in the USATF Indoor National Championship March 9 in Landover, Maryland, came in third in his age group’s long jump competition.

Cooper, part of the Morris County Track Club, “really enjoyed the experience of competing on a national stage,” his dad, Greg Cooper said in an email to Patch.

With a final jump of 3.64 meters, Cooper took third place, with teammate RJ Workman grabbing second in a jump of 3.74 meters in the 9 to 10-year-old boys category.

Other notable Morris County standouts include Elorm Akasreku, who broke the long jump meet record for 13 to 14-year-old boys with a 5.96 meter jump. Matias Pellagrinio grabbed fourth place in the event with a jump of 5.28 meters, and second place in the triple jump with a 10.23 meter jump.

Anjali Pai also broke a meet record with a long jump of 4.87 meters in the 13 to 14-year-old girls competition. Overall, she took fourth place.

Information provided by Greg Cooper.