PORTLAND, Oregon — Teenager Vashti Cunningham’s upcoming to-do list includes prom, a trip to Disneyland and graduation.
Turning pro and making the American team in the high jump for the Rio Olympics rank pretty high up there, too.
The daughter of longtime NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham may even be one of the favorites this summer, especially after winning gold at the world indoor track and field championships Sunday.
“I’m excited on the inside and keeping it calm on the outside,” said Cunningham, who cleared 6 feet, 5 inches to become the youngest female ever to capture a title at world indoors. “It means a lot to be the world champion this young. I did not think that I would not be here right now at 18 years old.”
This is the latest honor in the rapid rise of Cunningham, who set the American high school record in the event at the US indoor championship last weekend.
Randall Cunningham, who is also his daughter’s coach, leapt to his feet when she was pronounced the winner — along with the rest of the crowd at the Portland Convention Center.
The United States finished the event with a record 23 medals, including 13 golds, in a championship that didn’t include Russia, which was absent because of pending doping charges. Other American gold medalists on the final day of the championship included Matthew Centrowitz in the 1,500 meters and Marquis Dendy in the long jump.
The US also won both the men’s and women’s 4x400 relay.
Just like the week before at nationals, Cunningham stole the show. Ruth Beitia of Spain, who is 18 years older than Cunningham, claimed the silver and Kamila Licwinko of Poland finished third.
Afterward, Cunningham announced she is strongly leaning toward going pro instead of college. She’ll now try to make the US team for the Olympics this summer in Brazil.
But first she has to graduate from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas — and no, her new title doesn’t get her excused from class.
“She has to go back to school tomorrow,” her father said.
Centrowitz celebrated his victory by pointing to the USA emblazoned across his jersey. He became the first American man to win the 1,500 with a final-lap surge that pulled him in front of silver medalist Jakup Holusa of the Czech Republic. New Zealand’s Nicholas Willis poured it on down the stretch to finish with the bronze.
Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia, who holds the indoor world record in the 3,000 meters, fell to the back of a conservative pack at the start of Sunday’s final, but pulled out in front about halfway through and defended her title easily in 8:47.43. Fellow Ethiopian Meseret Defar, coming off an extended break for the birth of her daughter, was second, and American Shannon Rowbury was third.
Rowbury, an Olympian who trains in Portland, won the US indoor championship last week, moving up from her usual 1,500.
On the men’s side, Ethiopian teenager Yomif Kejelcha won the gold in 7:57.21, but American Ryan Hill had a thrilling surge to move up from fifth on the final lap to finish with the silver. Kenya’s Augustine Kiprono Choge took the bronze.
Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi held off American Ajee Wilson to finish the women’s 800 meters in 2:00.01 for her nation’s first gold and the world’s best time in the event this year. Kenya’s Margaret Nyairera Wambui finished third.
Dendy, who also won last week at nationals, topped silver medalist Fabrice Lapierre of Australia and bronze winner Changzhou Huang of China with a leap of 27 feet, 1-1/4 inches.
Jamaica’s Omar McLeod topped the podium in the 60-meter hurdles in a world-leading 7.41 seconds, followed by France’s Pascal Martinot-Lagarde and Dimitri Bascou.
The event in a cavernous hall at the Oregon Convention Center was well attended, selling out Saturday night’s session and Sunday with more than 7,000 fans. — AP
