Lawson Completed “Jesse Owens Triple” In 2016

Jarrion Lawson flawlessly executed a simple plan to historic results in 2016. 

Five years ago, Lawson became just the second athlete in the history of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships to complete the 100-200-long jump triple in the same year. The other was Jesse Owens, who did so twice in 1935 and 1936 (Owens also added a victory in the 220-yard hurdles in each of those years, for good measure). 

“I’m just thankful to God to be able to do the same things that Jesse Owens did,” Lawson said after the meet. “It’s just a great privilege and honor. It’s just amazing to come out and win three events. To be mentioned in the same sentence as Owens, I just thank God for it all.” 

How did the eventual Bowerman winner intend to achieve such an audacious feat? 

“I tried to take each event one at a time,” Lawson said. “I put all my focus into whatever event I’m in at the time. If I’m in the long jump, I put all my focus on the long jump. I treat them all with the respect they deserve and treat all my competitors with that same respect.” 

Lawson won the long jump – his first event that year – in a rout. While it took three attempts to get his legs under him, Lawson soared 8.13m (26-8¼) in Round 4 to take over the lead for good and then extended that to 8.15m (26-9) in Round 5 to win by nearly nine inches. 

The Razorback star returned to Historic Hayward Field two days later for a three-final outing, starting with the meet-opening 4×100 relay. He toted the baton second on that third-place squad and mentioned after the meet that “…the relay was a good warmup for the other events. It got my legs loose and I was able to carry over to the sprints.” 

Lawson won a war of attrition against a stiff headwind in the 100 (-2.3 m/s), beating Christian Coleman of Tennessee to the finish line by 0.01 seconds – 10.22 to 10.23. In doing so, Lawson put his name alongside DeHart Hubbard (1925), Owens (1935 & 1936), Carl Lewis (1981) and Ngoni Makusha (2011) as the only athletes to capture the 100 and long jump in the same year. 

That wasn’t enough for Lawson – not by a long shot. 

Lawson left no doubt as to his place in history 45 minutes later with a decisive, 0.07-second victory over Coleman in the 200 – 20.19 to 20.26. Coleman led at 100 meters, but Lawson drew even 50 meters later and gradually pulled ahead to the point where he could spread his arms wide to celebrate over the last 10 meters.