Princeton University Athletics
Tora Harris Ranked No. 1 High Jumper in America / No. 6 World
December 09, 2002 | Men's Track and Field
Dec. 9, 2002
Tora Harris '02 was recently ranked as the No.1 high jumper in America and the No. 6 jumper in the world in the Track and Field News December issue. Harris is currently training in Germany for the World Championships to be held in Paris next summer. While at Princeton, Harris was a two-time national high jump champion and an eight-time Heptagonal champion.
Harris is the first Princeton track and field athlete to achieve a world ranking since Augie Wolf '83 was ranked fourth in shot put. Wolf went on to competed in the 1984 Olympics.
"This is unbelievable,' said Princeton head track and field coach Fred Samara. "To be ranked No.1 in the country is and No.6 in the world is truly remarkable."
Harris captured both the indoor and outdoor NCAA high jump championships last year. Harris' 2.26m (7'-5") leap at the indoor NCAA championships earned him his first national title and made him Princeton's first individual track and field NCAA champion since Dave Pellegrini '80 in 1980. Harris captured the outdoor NCAA championship high jump title, clearing 2.25m (7'4.5") to become the first Princeton track and field athlete to win two individual national championships in a career.
Harris cleared 2.31m (7'7") at the 2002 outdoor Heptagonal championships and entered the NCAA championship as the favorite. Harris' Heptagonal jump was the best collegiate mark this past year, and at the time ranked Harris as the No. 4 high jumper the world. Harris also cleared 2.30m (7'6.5") while competing at the 2002 Penn Relays.
Harris is preparing to qualify for the 2003 World Championships and the 2004 Summer Olympics that will be held in Athens, Greece.