By Shawn Ma

In an Arizona track meet during spring break, Courtney Corrin ’16 beat the girls’ varsity long jump record by over a foot. She jumped a distance of 19’2″, easily beating the varsity record of 18’1/4″ set by Cara Bickers ’07 in 2007.

However, Corrin’s distance won’t go down in the Harvard-Westlake record book.

Head Track and Field Coach Jonas Koolsbergen said that any jump that is not at a Harvard-Westlake affiliated meet does not count as a record, even if the athlete is a Harvard-Westlake student. Because the track meet Corrin participated in was with her club track team, the Cougars, the 19’2″ jump will not be a Harvard-Westlake record.

However, Corrin remains optimistic, as she knows her best jumps are still in front of her.

“I do feel disappointed it won’t [go in the record book] but hopefully at the track and field championships for Middle School I will jump 19’2″ feet,” Corrin said. “Well, I’m actually trying to go 20 feet.”

Corrin is also the current record holder of the Middle School long jump record at 17’3″.

Corrin started jumping when she was 7 and initially picked long jump because of its similarity to flying.

“I jump because I enjoy flying and when I jump it makes me feel free of everything, and it makes me feel happy and excited,” Corrin said. “I always tell myself long jump is fun.”

Corrin’s jump has gotten the attention of Koolsbergen.

“Her jump, though [recorded] outside of school, was an extraordinary performance,” he said. “We are looking forward to having her the rest of this year plus five more years.”