Monae Nichols will likewise hit the runway for the long jump - she comes in ranked 10th in the world.
Also a former Florida high school standout, Nichols did frequently compete in the long jump, but was more of a hurdler. Her highest state meet finish - second place in 2016 - was in the 100m hurdles. She only qualified for state in the long jump once, and she placed 12th. From there, she went on to compete for Bethune-Cookman for two years; she made it to outdoor NCAAs twice, once in the 4x100m relay and once in the long jump, but never finished higher than 18th. She wrapped up her NCAA career at Texas Tech, where she wound up placing second in the indoor long jump in 2022 and fourth in the event at the 2022 NCAA outdoor championships.
Again, a not necessarily world class resume, but one of incredible growth and development. Two years later, Nichols claimed the silver medal at the 2024 World Indoor Track and Field Championships. She qualified for the 2025 and 2026 editions of the same meet, taking eighth at both, and also finished sixth at the 2024 Olympics. How many athletes can say they placed higher at the Olympics than they did at their state meet in their signature event?