
July 13, 2004 – Atlanta – Morehouse College freshman Keith Moffatt will put his high-flying jumping skills on display Thursday for a chance to compete in the Olympic Games to be held in Athens, Greece, in August.
Moffatt, from Newport News, Virginia, is a “provisional” qualifier in the high jump at the United States Olympic Track and Field Trials, being staged this week in Sacramento, Ca. His best leap of 7’- 4 ½” is just below the current Olympic automatic qualifying “standard” of 7’-6,” but a good jump could land the enthusiastic Maroon Tiger in Athens.
Moffatt is the reining NCAA Division II indoor and SIAC high jump champion. He finished second in the NCAA Division II outdoor championships in May. His best jump that day of 7’- 2 ¼” placed him in a three-way tie for first place, but because of a failed attempt at a lower height, Moffatt was awarded second place
Gregory Roberts, a former Morehouse student-athlete now representing the U.S. Army, will also compete in the trials. While competing for the Maroon Tigers, Roberts won the SIAC high jump championship. His jump of 7’-5 ¼” in 1997 is the NCAA Division II national high jump record.
The Olympic trials are being televised locally on the USA and NBC networks.