Rickards High School alum Darius Jones II earned a spot on Team USA for the World Athletics U20 Championships after finishing second in the decathlon at the USATF Under-20 Championships with a personal-best 7,547 points.
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Rickards High School alum Darius Jones II earns Team USA spot for World Athletics U20 Championships
Darius Jones II will represent Team USA at the World Athletics U20 Championships this August and he says he hasn’t forgotten where it all began.
The former Rickards High School standout earned a spot on the U.S. National Team after a breakout performance at the USATF Under-20 Championships. The University of Wisconsin freshman finished second in the decathlon with a personal-best score of 7,547 points, securing his place on the team and a trip to the championships.
“I guess I was just proud that a little kid from Leon County could just represent his nation,” Jones said.
The decathlon tests athletes across 10 different events over two days and is often called one of the most challenging competitions in sports.
Jones said the competition pushed him to his limits.
“Two days are definitely tough. I was battling through a couple of injuries, so I didn’t even know if I was gonna finish it sometimes, but I definitely I talked to God, talked to my coach, my parents, and we just had to get to the meet so we can get to the world in August,” Jones said.
The moment the achievement set in came on the flight home.
“Like when it first happened, I guess there were a lot of feelings at once. They didn’t really hit me until we got back on a flight to go back home, so like when we were there, it was just electric, just all the fans there when I was doing my interviews. After, I think that’s when it first hit me like oh we’re really doing this,” Jones said.
Those who know Jones best say the success didn’t happen overnight. Jordan Nance, head men’s track and field coach at Rickards, said Jones stood out from the start.
“His big thing he was one of the hardest workers that I’ve ever seen he just from high school works you know through our state series you know he couldn’t do with the decathlon cause we don’t have one but you know he pole vaulted, ran hurdles he long jumped, high jumped, ran the relay anything that we need him to do he would do,” Nance said.
From competing in Tallahassee to preparing to face the best young athletes in the world, Jones said the journey has always been about more than himself.
“Knowing that a black dude in Wisconsin coming from Rickards, like it is an honor to put on for like my community and just show them that no matter where you go, you can do it,” Jones said.
The World Athletics U20 Championships will take place August 5th9th in Eugene, Oregon. For Jones, it’s a chance to compete for a world title while representing both Team USA and his hometown of Tallahassee.
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