Shamel Gray is a freshman at Orange County high school and looking to catch on with the Hornet football team.
But he's also one of the best jumpers in the nation, and earning a medal by leaping 8'11" in the standing long jump at the Hershey's Track and Field Games in Pennsylvania August 2-5.
Gray says, "I got fourth place, which is really hard to get, because there was a lot of people out there who competed a little better than me. They were ready. I wasn't really ready. I just came off the bench and started doing this."
The 14-year old had never competed in the standing long jump before and had minimal training.
"I kind of trained myself to jump how I wanted to jump," says Gray. "I never jumped in a pit before, and I didn't really like it. I feel like I can jump farther, standing, on flat ground. I can jump farther."
Gray got his start when the Orange County Parks and Rec held a qualifier for the first time this summer.
Orange County Director of Parks and Recreation Tim Moubray says, "We got a lot of calls and emails from other rec departments, giving us a hard time, because we got a national qualifier in our first year. I think it'll do wonders for our participation next year."
Gray met four-time Olympic long jump gold medalist Carl Lewis at the Hershey Games, and the track newcomer is looking to perhaps follow in Lewis' shoes.
"The one where you run, and you jump. I think I could do really good with that," says Gray.
