Jasmine Moore makes history as first American woman to qualify for Olympic triple jump, long jump

Moore is a seven-time NCAA champion

While she was a kid, Jasmine Moore always loved jumping. She was hoping to one day be a cheerleader for her hometown team, the Dallas Cowboys.

Now? 

The 23-year-old is the first U.S. woman to make the Olympic Games in both the triple jump and the long jump. 

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Jasmine Moore reacts

Jasmine Moore reacts after winning the women's triple jump final on day two of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Track and Field trials at Hayward Field June 22, 2024 in Eugene, Ore.  (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Moore grew up in the Dallas-Forth Worth area and, as a kid, took up gymnastics and competitive cheerleading. She gave that up to pursue a life in track and field. 

She first started with the triple jump and then took up long jumping because it was similar. 

"For me, the goal was always ‘free college,' getting a scholarship," she said.

Georgia offered a scholarship, and she took it. Then, after two years, she transferred to Florida. 

Moore parlayed that scholarship into becoming a seven-time NCAA champion. 

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Jasmine Moore competes

Jasmine Moore competes in the women's triple jump final on day two of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Track and Field Trials at Hayward Field June 22, 2024, in Eugene, Ore.  (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

She went to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and finished 12th in the qualifying round of the triple jump. 

This time around, Moore will be competing in the long jump too. While she is making history by being the first athlete to compete in the triple jump and long jump, she makes it seem like it's no big deal. 

Switching between events is not uncommon at the high school and college levels, but it's not something that has been done before on the Olympic stage.

Moore didn’t even know she was making history. Her goal was to just to make both. 

As for which event she prefers?

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Jasmine Moore in action

Jasmine Moore competes in the women's long jump final on day nine of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Track and Field Trials at Hayward Field June 29, 2024, in Eugene, Ore. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

"I feel like triple jump is my baby," she said. "I feel like I have a lot of potential in that event. When it’s going well, I enjoy it a little more. But long jump is a lot of fun. You just get to fly in the air. You don’t have to worry about ‘this phase, that phase.’"

Moore, whose mom and dad were both track athletes in their college days, will have her entire family with her for support, but she will be doing some cheering of her own.

Her boyfriend, Joseph Fahnbulleh, whom she met at the Tokyo Games and has been with ever since, is competing for gold in the men’s 200 meters.

Fahnbulleh, a Minnesota native representing Liberia, attends Florida with Moore and is a three-time NCAA champion. 

Jasmine Moore reacts

Jasmine Moore reacts after winning the women's triple jump final on day two of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Track and Field Trials at Hayward Field June 22, 2024, in Eugene, Ore. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The long jump final is scheduled for Aug. 8, the same evening as the gold medal race for the men’s 200 meters, and Moore and Fahnbulleh hope they are both competing for the gold. 

What has Moore learned throughout the process?

"Doing this has proved to myself, ‘Oh, I can do this, so I don’t have to choose," she said. "That’s the most exciting part of it."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.

Authored by Ryan Canfield via FoxNews July 31st 2024