Vashti Cunningham, 2026 High Jump Champion, chatted with Markos Papadatos after her win at the 2026 USA Track and Field Champinships in New York. She won the women’s high jump competition with a clearance of 1.92 meters (thanks to the countback rule in her favor).
2026 win in the women’s high jump
On her win, she exclaimed, “It felt really great. This has been one of the longest seasons of my life and one of the worst seasons of my career. So, it reassured me that I still am capable of what I’ve done in the past and that has been great.”
Area(s) to improve upon
When asked what she would like to improve upon, she said, “I want to improve on having more sport with the sport… I feel like some of that fun has kind of escaped from me, so that’s one area I want to improve on.”
“Other areas I want to improve on is the consistency of my approach,” she added.
Key to longevity in athletics
Regarding the key to longevity in athletics, she shared, “I think it’s truly about having a relationship with God and trusting Jesus because we can do nothing on our own, and I’ve learned that. We’ve all had those moments where we’re just trying to do stuff by ourselves and the Lord did not permit it. So, just trust Him. Seek Him. Look for His hand in everything. Pray and ask Him, ‘should I still be here? Should I still be doing this?’ Just consult in Him in everything.”
Success
Regarding her definition of success, she said, “Success means the opportunity to glorify God.”
Message for her fans
For her fans, she said, “I would like to say thank you guys for not leaving me and not giving up on me. It has been a slow season but I’m still that girl that you guys met in the beginning and I’m coming on. I’m on my way back.”
