Hard work, determination, grit and a bit of height all came together Saturday for Christian Bush at the Class 2A State Track and Field Championships at Middleton High School.
The Bear Lake High senior not only won gold in the high jump for the third time in his high school career, but posted the second-best mark in the nation at 7 feet, 1.5 inches.
“Today was a good day for Bush,” Bear Lake head coach Shawn Turner said on Saturday. “He was ready. He looked relaxed. He was ready to jump high and he did.”
His mark now only trails Scottie Vines’ 7’ 4.25” that was put up at the 96th annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on March 29. Vines, who goes to De Beque (Colorado), is No. 1 in the world for under-20 high jumpers. He is going to “Track Town, USA,” otherwise known as the University of Oregon.
Bush set the state’s all-classification state record with the jump, as well. But this is nothing new. Bush’s consistent performance and dedication to the sport have made him a standout athlete in Idaho.
“It’s like a dream come true,” Bush said just 15 minutes after his record-setting jump. “I’ve been working for this since my freshman year when I came to state as an underdog and won gold with a 6-foot-2-inch jump. But it doesn’t really seem true yet.”
Bush’s journey has been marked by rigorous training and a strong commitment to improving his skills. He has spent his winters practicing short approaches in his coach’s shed where he would set up the mattresses. In addition, he has been attending track camps and has worked with a couple of coaches, one whom he met at a camp in Washington. Bush, who stands 6-7, said he would travel there a few times a year for some extra coaching.
“It’s been quite funny, actually, watching him shovel his way to the high jump pit in the spring so he could start practicing,” Turner said. “But that’s spring sports in Bear Lake. Because of his determination, we all knew he could do it. He just needed to convince himself.”
After taking first his freshman year, Bush said he figured he was a high jumper. He worked hard and also won gold at state his sophomore year with a 6-10 jump.
Last year was a different story, however. Although he had jumped 6-8 in a few regular season meets, he only jumped 6-2 at state and came in second.
“That was actually good for him,” Turner said. “It taught him how to overcome hard things and gave him more drive to do better.”
Bush also played on the Bear Lake boys basketball team the past two years. He played mostly JV his junior year, but was promoted to starting varsity this past season.
“It really helped me to build my confidence and got me out of my shell,” Bush said. “I think it helped me get here.”
After winning the gold, Bush had the opportunity to keep jumping for the other records. After making a 7-1.5 jump, he had to wait until the officials could get a taller ladder to set the bar another half inch. Even though he didn’t make the new height, Bush said he was happy with his performance.
Bush will now serve a two-year LDS mission in Peru before attending Idaho State University when he returns to compete once again in the high jump.
With his record-breaking jump, Bush has set a new benchmark for future athletes in Idaho. The track and field community is looking forward to seeing what he will achieve next.
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