Kira Moreland’s track season came to an unceremonious end on Saturday. Coming off a runner-up finish at the state track meet, the Los Osos senior posted the best mark at Saturday’s Great Southwest Classic in New Mexico on her first jump. Unfortunately, it was her last.
The Arizona State-bound Moreland (pictured above) was disqualified following her initial leap of 20 feet, 1/4 inch because her coach was taking video of Moreland, which is allowed in California but not in New Mexico. Without warning, a disqualification was issued to the senior whose season-best jump of 20 feet, 7 inches ranks her third in the country. A jump of 19 feet, 9 3/4 inches won Saturday’s meet, but it wasn’t first place that interested Moreland as much as her intentions to set a personal best of 21 feet.
“It was pretty devastating,” Moreland said. “It wasn’t about the (first-place) medal, it was more about not having the opportunity to keep jumping. He was pretty rude about it. He just came up to me and told me I was disqualified. It wasn’t like I did anything that disrupted or distracted any of the other jumpers. He could have just asked my coach to stop and let me continue, but I don’t think he wanted me to win.”
Read Staff Writer Erik Boal’s story.
