Former West Orange High athlete Russell Robinson qualifies for USA track and field Olympic team

Russell Robinson, a West Orange High track-and-field and football star, finished second in the men's triple jump at the USA track and field team's Olympic trails in Eugene, Oregon.

University of Miami Athletics | Courtesy photo

The second-place finish was enough to earn the FHSAA Class 4A 2018 long jump and 2019 triple jump state champion a spot on Team USA for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in the triple jump.

Robinson earned one of three spots on the Paris-bound team after recording a jump of 17.01 meters (55 feet, 9.75 inches) at the trials on June 30.

At West Orange, the two-sport athlete finished his high school career with four school records — the 110-meter hurdles record (14.7s), the 300-meter hurdles record (38.9s), the long jump record (7.47m), and the triple jump record (14.65m) — two individual state titles and multiple regional and district championships, before deciding to walk-on to the University of Miami track-and-field team. 

Robinson chose to head south and become a Hurricane, instead of join rivals Florida State; the Seminoles also offered him a walk-on spot on their roster. 

The former Warrior turned Cane is now a rising senior at Miami and has established himself as a force in the triple jump for The U. 

Not only is Robinson the first Miami track-and-field athlete to represent Team USA at the Summer Olympics in over 10 years, but he is also the reigning NCAA indoor triple jump national champion — the school's 18th individual national champion — an All-ACC academic team member, Miami's record-holder in the outdoor triple jump (17.13 meters), and is a four-time All-American in the triple jump and long jump.