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Isaiah Jewett

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Isaiah Jewett
Jewett competes at the 2020 US Olympic Trials
Personal information
Full nameIsaiah Champion Jewett
Born (1997-02-06) February 6, 1997 (age 27)
Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Home townInglewood, California, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Southern California
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)[1]
Sport
CountryUnited States
SportTrack and field
Event(s)400m, 800m
College teamUSC Trojans
Achievements and titles
Personal bests
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  United States
NACAC U23 Championships in Athletics
Silver medal – second place 2019 Queretaro 800 metres

Isaiah Champion Jewett (born February 6, 1997)[2] is an American middle-distance runner who specializes in the 800 metres. He finished second in the event at the NACAC U23 Championships in 2019, and he won a national title at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships while competing for the University of Southern California. Jewett represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Junior and collegiate competition

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Jewett attended Culver City High School before transferring to Cathedral High School in Los Angeles.[3] As a high schooler, he primarily focused on the 400 metres. For college, he attended the University of California, Irvine, where he began competing in the 800 metres. He went undefeated in the 2017 regular season, and he won the Big West Championship. After his sophomore year, Jewett switched schools to compete for the University of Southern California. In an interview about his decision to transfer, he stated: "I transferred from UC Irvine to USC because there were better opportunities academically" and "track wise, USC makes champions and I wanted to be a champion."[4] The transfer required him to sit out the 2018 collegiate season due to NCAA eligibility rules, so he ran unattached in USATF events.

In 2019, Jewett won a silver medal in the 800 m at the NACAC U23 Championships in Queretaro, Mexico.[5] At the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships, Jewett won an NCAA title in the 800 m, besting runner up Brandon Miller.[6] His time of 1:44.68 was a school record, ahead of alumni who went on to compete in the Olympics, including Ibrahim Okash and Duane Solomon.[7]

Senior competition

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On June 21, 2021, Jewett finished runner up at the 2020 US Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, behind Olympic bronze medalist Clayton Murphy.[8] His time of 1:43.85 was a personal best, and it qualified him for the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo. This performance carried extra meaning for Jewett because it came nearly on the anniversary of his brother Robert's death, who died in an automobile accident eight years prior.[3] Jewett was also a college student at the time, and after the race, he had to complete a 10-page essay by midnight, as his academic program did not allow an extension.[9]

In the 800 m at the 2020 Summer Games, Jewett ran 1:47.07 in a preliminary round to advance to the semi-finals. There, he collided with 2012 silver medalist Nijel Amos, with the two runners becoming tangled in the final stretch of the race.[10] Jewett helped Amos to his feet, and they crossed the finish line together. Referees granted Amos a place in the final but did not allow Jewett to advance.[11]

Competing at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Jewett reached the final of the 800 m, where he finished fourth.[12]

He secured the standard time for the 2024 Paris Olympics in finishing runner-up in the 800 metres at the LA Grand Prix in May 2024.[13]

Personal

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Jewett was born with a condition that made one eye weak and sensitive to light, contributing to migraines.[3] He started wearing sunglasses to lessen symptoms like blurred vision and trouble visualizing competitors while running. In college, Jewett studied animation,[4] owing to his interest in anime, which he has described as a source of motivation for his running.[14] In the Los Angeles Times, he was quoted as saying that he wanted to provide inspiration to people watching the Tokyo Olympics "the way anime and cartoons inspired me."[3] His mother, Venus is a Masters World Champion sprinter.[15] She started a track and field program at Culver City Middle School, then coached at Culver City High School for over a decade.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "Isaiah Jewett - Track & Field". usctrojans.com. University of Southern California. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  2. ^ "Isaiah JEWETT | Profile". worldathletics.org. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Klein, Gary (July 30, 2021). "Isaiah Jewett embraces his inner superhero in quest to conquer Olympic 800 meters". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 10, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Witter, Ryan (February 16, 2024). "Getting To Know Isaiah Jewett". USC Athletics. Archived from the original on November 25, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  5. ^ "Cockrell, Annelus, Constantine & Terry Win Gold At NACAC U23 Championships In Mexico". USC Athletics. February 16, 2024. Archived from the original on November 8, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  6. ^ Johnson, Robert (June 12, 2021). "USC's Isaiah Jewett Holds Off Texas A&M's Brandon Miller to Win 2021 NCAA 800 Title as Both Break 1:45". LetsRun.com. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  7. ^ USC MEN’S TOP 10 PERFORMERS "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on August 13, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ^ Douglas, Scott (June 22, 2021). "2021 Olympic Trials - Clayton Murphy Wins Men's 800 Meters". www.runnersworld.com. Archived from the original on June 22, 2021. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  9. ^ Shapiro, Michael (June 21, 2021). "USC Runner Isaiah Jewett Concerned With Essay After Qualifying For Olympics". si.com. Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on June 22, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  10. ^ Graham, Pat (August 1, 2021). "No hard feelings: Amos and Jewett tangle, finish together". AP News. Archived from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  11. ^ Dragon, Tyler. "American Isaiah Jewett's act of sportsmanship after being tripped is bigger than a win". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on May 27, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  12. ^ "Men's 800m Results: USATF Outdoor Championships 2023". Watch Athletics. July 7, 2023. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  13. ^ "Benjamin and McLaughlin-Levrone impress in Los Angeles". World Athletics. May 19, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  14. ^ Berg, Aimee (June 30, 2021). "USC's Isaiah Jewett takes an anime approach to the 800m". pac-12.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  15. ^ "Meet Results - World Masters Rankings". June 22, 2020.
  16. ^ "Heart of Screenland beats as heart, soul of Olympians | Culver City News". August 9, 2021.
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