Track & Field: Turella takes top-20 finish at nationals

By Sequim Gazette Staff • July 31, 2024 1:30 am
Photo courtesy of Turella family / Sequim’s Clare Turella celebrates a 17th place finish in the high jump at the USA Track & Field National Junior Olympic Championships in Texas on July 25.
Photo courtesy of Turella family / Sequim’s Clare Turella celebrates a 17th place finish in the high jump at the USA Track & Field National Junior Olympic Championships in Texas on July 25.

Sequim teen Clare Turella just keeps finding new bars to leap over and new personal milestones to set.

The Sequim High sophomore-to-be cleared 5 feet 1 inches at the USA Track & Field National Junior Olympic Championships at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, on July 25. The mark placed Turella 17th out of 51 competing high jumpers from across the nation, in the 15- to 16-year-olds division.

The effort was particularly satisfying for the youngster, her mom Kirsti noted, after failing to clear a height at the same event in 2023.

The finish provides a bridge between Turella’s upcoming season and a breakout freshman campaign that saw her sweep Olympic League, West Central Bi-District and Class 2A state titles in the high jump, with a personal best of 5-3 set at districts on May 18.