Once you’ve earned the nickname “Mr. Jumps,” it’s important to be a particular athlete and JaVaughn Harrison has greater than confirmed to be simply that. In 2021, he turned the primary American male to qualify for the Olympics in each the excessive soar and lengthy soar since Jim Thorpe in 1912. Harrison would make the finals in each occasions, capturing seventh within the excessive soar and fifth place within the lengthy soar.
As is the case with most athletes, Harrison has established a routine and a set of rituals he abides by earlier than he competes. Contemporary off of his first main championship medal — capturing silver within the excessive soar on the World Athletics Championships in Budapest final month — Harrison will look to punch his ticket to the Paris Video games in each disciplines on the Prefontaine Traditional Diamond League this weekend in Eugene, OR.
M&F caught up with the Huntsville, AL, native and LSU alum to develop on a few of what goes into him locking in to get able to compete.
1. Have Enjoyable
I persistently inform myself that if I’m not having enjoyable, then I’m not gonna carry out the way in which I wish to. I’m a agency believer that in case you don’t love what you’re doing, you shouldn’t be doing it. So each time I get out to fulfill, the way in which I can inform if I’m going to have a great meet is that if I’m leaping and bouncing round throughout warmups. I’m dancing, taking part in my music and I do know it’s gonna be a great day. If I’m too critical and too quiet, then one thing’s improper.
2. Mom’s Necklace
It’s most likely a very powerful piece of bijou I personal. It belonged to my mother when she ran observe at Alabama A&M. It has a pendant on it that has an image of me and her once I was a child. She gave it to me once I turned 18. I not often take it off. I solely take it off if I’m altering what I wish to have on my neck if I’m going out someplace. Apart from that, this chain by no means leaves my neck—or if I’m going to get it cleaned as a result of I take my jewellery to get it polished and cleaned.
3. Pre-comp sandwich
The sandwiches change. Typically, I’d add one thing to it or I’d take one thing away from it, relying on what form it’s. I attempt to not eat the identical factor too actually because I really feel like in case you eat the identical factor time and again, you’ll get uninterested in it. If I can, I’ll eat a Firehouse sub. I’d get an Italian sub or I’d get a Membership on a Sub. I’d get the Turkey Bacon Ranch or a Meatball Sub. It simply is dependent upon how I really feel that day.
4. Heat Up and music
My coach has written out a warm-up routine for me. I’ll begin off with jog a lap, typically two relying on how I’m feeling that day. If I really feel a little bit sluggish or like I’m not totally awake, I’ll jog two laps. If I really feel like I’m conscious, I’ll draw one lap. Then I’ll do some facet shuffle and facet skips — just a few lively mobility work.
Then I’ll stretch and I acquired my dash postures — A skip, B skip, karaoke. Then I’ve excels and runouts. I hydrate in between that and every part has extra drills than what I’m saying.
It’s not an excellent quick heat up. I do it reasonably and it takes about 30-40 minutes. If I push it and it’s tremendous scorching exterior, it’ll most likely take about 45. However for essentially the most half, my heat up takes about half-hour. Okay, so I’m a really massive Lil Uzi Vert fan. That’s my favourite artist. I additionally hearken to Playboi Carti, Yeat, Travis Scott, and Younger Nudy. These are the principle artists that I hearken to on warm-up days.
5. Pink Bull
Pink Bull helps me get up. For example, on the World Championships, we needed to soar at, I wish to say about 10:45 am. I could possibly be improper concerning the actual time, however I do know we jumped within the morning. So I needed to be up by six and I’m not a morning particular person. I hate being up early within the morning. For me to stand up at six, I used to be sluggish and irritable, and I simply wasn’t myself. Because it progressively acquired nearer to the time, my physique began waking up, however I do know that I’m sluggish within the morning. So the Pink Bull helps me get up and get my physique shifting.
6. No arm sleeve throughout comp
I’ve by no means had a great competitors carrying an arm sleeve. I wore an arm sleeve at two meets in school and I did horrible. I’ve by no means put an arm sleeve on since. If I’ve to take photos in it, that’s one factor. However on the subject of competitors, I’m not placing an arm sleeve on.
7. Prayer
It’s crucial to me. My mother raised me to all the time give reward and thank God for what he’s doing for me. Whether or not it’s on the Diamond League competitors or me with the opposite US excessive jumpers on the USA Championships or on the World Championship, an Olympic meet — I all the time make certain I say a prayer and provides God thanks and I ask him to guard me by my competitors and assist me to be harm free.
Comply with JuVaughn on Instagram @jaay_harrison