Parker Coes competes in the long jump at the VA Showcase
The girls' long jump at the Texas Tech Wes Kittley Invitational showcased elite depth and national-level quality, and once again, Parker Coes proved she is setting the standard in the event. The Katy Morton Ranch sophomore, who transferred to Texas from The Bullis School (MD), delivered a composed and commanding performance in Lubbock, winning the competition with a best jump of 20-5 (6.22m). The victory added yet another highlight to a rapidly growing resume and reinforced her position as the US No. 1 indoor long jumper this season.
Coes displayed both power and consistency across the runway. After opening with a scratch, she immediately found her rhythm with a 19-8, followed by a 20-4½ that put pressure on the field early. Rather than settling, Coes continued to attack the board, backing up her lead with another 20-5, the winning mark, before closing out her series with a 19-11. In total, she recorded four jumps over 19-8, an impressive display of stability that separated her from the rest of the field. That consistency has become a defining trait of her indoor season, which already includes a massive 21-0¾ victory at the VA Showcase and a 20-5¼ effort earlier in the winter.
Behind Coes, Eguonome Akpobassa continued her strong campaign, finishing second at 19-8¼. Akpobassa has been one of the most reliable jumpers in the country this season, pairing her Texas Tech runner-up finish with a 20-5 win at the Texas High School Indoor Championships and additional solid marks at the North Texas Showcase. Cate Bryant rounded out the podium in third with an 18-9¼, another step forward for the Texas Elite standout, who has now logged consistent 18-foot and 19-foot jumps across multiple meets this winter.
For Coes, the Texas Tech win further confirms her emergence as one of the nation's most dangerous horizontal jumpers. Competing successfully against some of the top jumpers in Texas and doing so with both distance and consistency signals that even bigger marks may be on the horizon. With each meet, Parker Coes continues to prove that her move to Texas has placed her squarely at the center of the national long jump conversation.
