Florida high jumper Corvell Todd finishes fifth at US Olympic Trials

Former Florida Gator Corvell Todd placed fifth in the high jump at the US Olympic Trials on Sunday night.

Todd was one of four jumpers to fail in the third progression at 2.24 meters (7 feet 4 1/4 inches), but he had the edge over the other three after clearing the 2.21-meter bar on his first try.

Alabama alumnus Shelby McEwen won the event as the only jumper to clear the 2.30-meter bar. He’s headed to the Paris Olympics, but the other spot on the national team is in question after a rough performance from JuVaughn Harrison, the only American to have met the Olympic Standard.

Harrison finished fourth after failing all three attempts at 2.27 meters and taking a second jump at 2.24 meters. It simply wasn’t his best day, and now he must wait to find out if he’s an Olympian or not.

Todd only needed one clearance to make it to the event finals. On his first attempt, he cleared the opening bar set at 2.14 meters, placing him in the top 12. Todd’s personal best is .01 meters higher than the 2.21 he jumped.

Corvell Todd at Florida

Todd joined Florida for the 2023 season after attending Southern Mississippi. He holds the No. 8 spot on the UF All-Time Top 10 List for the outdoor high jump with 2.21 meters — the same height he jumped at Trials — at the Pepsi Florida Relays.

Todd is an excellent example of persistence and resiliency in sports. A Byahlia High (Miss.) graduate in 2018, Todd blossomed at Hinds Community College and began jumping over 7 feet in 2019. He won the 2019 and 2020 NJCAA indoor national titles, while also claiming the and the 2019 outdoor title.

His success continued into Division I competition, winning two CUSA Championships with Southern Mississippi and being named the 2022 Conference USA Men’s Field Athlete of the Year.

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