Who is Maya Pressley?

Who is Maya Pressley?

Maya Pressley (USA) cleared 5-10 3/4 (1.78m) in the women’s high jump qualifying in the 13th IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics at Stade Moncton 2010.    (Photo by Image of Sport)

By D’Joumbarey A. Moreau

      Let’s be candid.

Think about all of the great athletes from South Florida that you’ve heard of. At least every year there is someone from the Tri-County area (Dade, Broward, Palm Beach) that reaches a new height in their respective athletic career.

Maya Pressley is the best athlete from the South Florida (Fort Lauderdale) area that you’ve never heard of.

Who’s Pressley you might ask?

Pressley instantly became a track and field star back in high school where she was a stand-out athlete at Coconut Creek High School. After graduating from high school in 2009, Presley went on to college where she became an even bigger star. Pressley enrolled at Auburn University and she achieved greatness during her time competing in the Southeastern Conference. In fact, Pressley went on to become a five-time All-American and also let’s not forget that she graduated with honors.

Even with all of the success that Pressley has had during her life, she’s not satisfied quite yet and frankly she shouldn’t be. Here are three things that you need to know about her. 1. Maya Pressley is awesome. 2. She jumps higher than you. and 3. She’s going to compete in the Olympics.

“Confident. Beautiful. Sweet. Competitive. Loving” said Pressley.

Those are the five words which Pressley associates herself as an athlete.

If you’ve never seen Pressley perform we don’t blame you; it’s not like a lot of people are familiar with the complexity of women’s high jumping.

The national average height in the United States is 5’7 which is 1.70 meters tall.

Some of the world’s best high jumpers not only can clear that size but they even can jump half a meter above that.

Well, one of the career bests for Pressley is the time when she managed to clear 1.85m back in the 2011.

Insane right?

How about this, the world record for high jumping is 2.45 m which is  eight feet and one quarter inch

That height is a little bigger than the size of a men’s volleyball net. Let’s be real high jump isn’t for everyone. It’s only for the few gifted people that are dedicated to becoming better athletes.

Because it’s so difficult to find people who are athletically blessed enough to begin high jumping Pressley is already a-head of the curve. She’s a person that you need to get to know be-cause soon enough you’ll be watching her during the Olympic ceremonies walking with the United States National Team.

She has a bold tone when she speaks and it’s so serious you wouldn’t know how to react. As she and I spoke she made it seem so routine about what she needs to do to make the 2016 Olympic team. A top three finish, and making sure that she hits the Olympic mark is all that’s left for her to accomplish.

Something tells me that she can get it done.

Congratulations.