Richardson Keeps Climbing During Outdoor Season
Apr 28, 2022 | Track & Field, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Usually, the best comes last. It's not particularly how Devon Richardson prefers it. But while some competitors might fade, he's often just getting started. Such was the case this past Sunday at the John Jacobs Invitational in Norman, Oklahoma, when Richardson shifted gears late and recorded the longest triple jump of his life.
His mark of 15.72 meters (51-7 feet) set a personal best. It came nearly one month to the day that he tied his previous personal best of 15.38 meters (50-5.50 feet) at the UTSA Invitational in San Antonio, Texas.
When Richardson competes in the Big 12 Outdoor Championships on May 13 through May 15 in Lubbock, Texas, he assuredly hopes that this meet will be his best yet.
"I just want to keep getting personal bests," Richardson says. "I don't want to give myself certain numbers to hit or else I'll dwell on it. I just want to keep learning and building. I watch film I don't even know how many hours a day. I'm just continuing to learn and get better at the craft."
The 6-foot-2, 160-pound Richardson currently ranks 22nd in the NCAA and fourth in the Big 12 Conference in the men's triple jump. He currently ranks 38th in the NCAA and fifth in the Big 12 in the high jump — hitting a personal best 2.13 meters (6-11.75 feet) in the Jim Click Shootout on April 9 in Tucson, Arizona.
"He's just had more time here," K-State director of track and field Cliff Rovelto says. "He's improved in the triple jump, but his primary event is the high jump, and he's improved a good bit in the high jump as well. His PRs have gotten better, but more importantly his averages have gotten better over time."
Time is an interesting thing. Richardson, a native of Kansas City, Missouri, will always remember the time that he reached out to Rovelto in hopes of joining the K-State program. Although Richardson competed at Pittsburg State, it was while he was back at home during the COVID pandemic that he pondered taking the next step and elevating to the Division I level. His parents, Mike Richardson and Layana Dale, were supportive of his decision.
Layana told her son about K-State, its national prominence in the men's high jump, and its guidance under Rovelto, who is one of the top high jump coaches in the world.
"I didn't know K-State was called 'High Jump U,'" Richardson says, "but who doesn't want to be coached by the best high jump coach in the country? I took a chance, went to my mom's work, and e-mailed Coach Rovelto, and he hit me back immediately. That was a blessing."
Rovelto was in his Manhattan home during the pandemic. He was cleaning out files in his home office when he received Richardson's e-mail.
Is Rovelto pleased that Richardson reached out to him?
"Absolutely," he says, chuckling. "Yes."
Time appears to be on Richardson's side. Seemingly carrying limitless potential, he is a sophomore with two years remaining, and who knows what he might accomplish by the time he graduates from K-State and pursues a professional career.
But there was a time when this all didn't exactly seem possible, when he felt overlooked despite his achievements, prior to landing with the Wildcats.
Three years ago, Richardson, a senior at Lee's Summit North High School in Kansas City, Missouri, won the MSHSAA Class 5 state titles in both the high jump and triple jump. He leaped a state-record 6-feet-10 inches in the high jump and a personal best 48-3.5 feet in the triple jump.
"Man, I'll never forget that day," he says. "I was actually doing both events at the same time, running back and forth between events. I finished the first round of the triple jump and during a break between the first and second round I went over some bars in the high jump, then I went straight back to the triple jump. As soon as I realized I won the triple jump, I went straight over to the high jump and won that, too. I was just a competitor all day."
Yet Richardson, despite his success, felt overlooked by Division I programs.
"I try not to think about it because I'll dwell on it but coming out of Kansas City, I feel like a lot of people get overlooked," he says. "It's a small place in the Midwest that's not known for sports, really. We're known for barbeque, entertainment and music. Just being an athlete out of Kansas City, I always felt like I was underrated and overlooked by people in different areas around the country. I can't really control that.
"All I can control is what I can do. That's why I put my all into being the best competitor I can be, and I let the results show for themselves."
His hard work appears to be paying dividends.
During the month of February, Richardson won the men's indoor high jump at the Iowa State Classic with a mark of 2.14 meters (7-0.25 feet), then improved to 2.16 meters (7-1 feet) the following week. At the Big 12 Indoor Championship, he set a personal best with a height of 2.17 meters (7-1.50 feet), growing stronger in his last competition of the season.
Not bad for a guy who underwent groin surgery prior to the start of the indoor season.
"The high jump has made me super happy this year, I'm not going to lie," he says. "This year, I came in and after the surgery, I told myself that if K-State Athletics is going to send me to Philadelphia to fix my body, I have to give it my all."
One month after the indoor season, he caught fire in the outdoor triple jump.
"I try not to look at numbers a lot during the season because I don't want to get caught up in that," he says. "First thing's first, and it's God, really. Lately, I've been asking Him to give me guidance and give me the knowledge to learn how to get better. I believe in myself a lot. When I believe there's an obstacle to overcome, I believe in myself and do a good job of beating the odds."
This all goes back to when Richardson discovered his dream. He was in the fifth grade running the 800 and 400 meters in the AAU circuit. He finished third in the 800 in St. Louis. Slowly, the high jump came along.
"I realized I could do something with track," he says.
And these days, he's doing plenty.
"I'm just a competitor when it comes down to it," he says. "I'm not a person who quits. I've seen a lot of people over the years realize track wasn't the easiest sport, so they quit and didn't finish. My mom instilled early into my life that if I start something I have to finish it. I fell in love with track, so there wasn't a thought of quitting. I always told myself, 'There's something I can do better.'
"I've learned more and more, and I'm maturing, and I'm willing to do anything to succeed."
Wednesday afternoon found Richardson preparing for practice. There are still goals to meet and obstacles to overcome. Eventually, Richardson figures to reap the rewards of his hard work, as he did most recently at the John Jacobs Invitational, when he recorded the longest triple jump of his life.
"Today at practice is a jump session," he says, excitedly. "We're going to go after it."
Chasing the dream remains ongoing.
For Richardson, the best usually comes last.
Usually, the best comes last. It's not particularly how Devon Richardson prefers it. But while some competitors might fade, he's often just getting started. Such was the case this past Sunday at the John Jacobs Invitational in Norman, Oklahoma, when Richardson shifted gears late and recorded the longest triple jump of his life.
His mark of 15.72 meters (51-7 feet) set a personal best. It came nearly one month to the day that he tied his previous personal best of 15.38 meters (50-5.50 feet) at the UTSA Invitational in San Antonio, Texas.
When Richardson competes in the Big 12 Outdoor Championships on May 13 through May 15 in Lubbock, Texas, he assuredly hopes that this meet will be his best yet.
"I just want to keep getting personal bests," Richardson says. "I don't want to give myself certain numbers to hit or else I'll dwell on it. I just want to keep learning and building. I watch film I don't even know how many hours a day. I'm just continuing to learn and get better at the craft."
The 6-foot-2, 160-pound Richardson currently ranks 22nd in the NCAA and fourth in the Big 12 Conference in the men's triple jump. He currently ranks 38th in the NCAA and fifth in the Big 12 in the high jump — hitting a personal best 2.13 meters (6-11.75 feet) in the Jim Click Shootout on April 9 in Tucson, Arizona.
"He's just had more time here," K-State director of track and field Cliff Rovelto says. "He's improved in the triple jump, but his primary event is the high jump, and he's improved a good bit in the high jump as well. His PRs have gotten better, but more importantly his averages have gotten better over time."
Time is an interesting thing. Richardson, a native of Kansas City, Missouri, will always remember the time that he reached out to Rovelto in hopes of joining the K-State program. Although Richardson competed at Pittsburg State, it was while he was back at home during the COVID pandemic that he pondered taking the next step and elevating to the Division I level. His parents, Mike Richardson and Layana Dale, were supportive of his decision.
Layana told her son about K-State, its national prominence in the men's high jump, and its guidance under Rovelto, who is one of the top high jump coaches in the world.
"I didn't know K-State was called 'High Jump U,'" Richardson says, "but who doesn't want to be coached by the best high jump coach in the country? I took a chance, went to my mom's work, and e-mailed Coach Rovelto, and he hit me back immediately. That was a blessing."
Rovelto was in his Manhattan home during the pandemic. He was cleaning out files in his home office when he received Richardson's e-mail.
Is Rovelto pleased that Richardson reached out to him?
"Absolutely," he says, chuckling. "Yes."
Time appears to be on Richardson's side. Seemingly carrying limitless potential, he is a sophomore with two years remaining, and who knows what he might accomplish by the time he graduates from K-State and pursues a professional career.
But there was a time when this all didn't exactly seem possible, when he felt overlooked despite his achievements, prior to landing with the Wildcats.
Three years ago, Richardson, a senior at Lee's Summit North High School in Kansas City, Missouri, won the MSHSAA Class 5 state titles in both the high jump and triple jump. He leaped a state-record 6-feet-10 inches in the high jump and a personal best 48-3.5 feet in the triple jump.
"Man, I'll never forget that day," he says. "I was actually doing both events at the same time, running back and forth between events. I finished the first round of the triple jump and during a break between the first and second round I went over some bars in the high jump, then I went straight back to the triple jump. As soon as I realized I won the triple jump, I went straight over to the high jump and won that, too. I was just a competitor all day."
Yet Richardson, despite his success, felt overlooked by Division I programs.
"I try not to think about it because I'll dwell on it but coming out of Kansas City, I feel like a lot of people get overlooked," he says. "It's a small place in the Midwest that's not known for sports, really. We're known for barbeque, entertainment and music. Just being an athlete out of Kansas City, I always felt like I was underrated and overlooked by people in different areas around the country. I can't really control that.
"All I can control is what I can do. That's why I put my all into being the best competitor I can be, and I let the results show for themselves."
His hard work appears to be paying dividends.
During the month of February, Richardson won the men's indoor high jump at the Iowa State Classic with a mark of 2.14 meters (7-0.25 feet), then improved to 2.16 meters (7-1 feet) the following week. At the Big 12 Indoor Championship, he set a personal best with a height of 2.17 meters (7-1.50 feet), growing stronger in his last competition of the season.
Not bad for a guy who underwent groin surgery prior to the start of the indoor season.
"The high jump has made me super happy this year, I'm not going to lie," he says. "This year, I came in and after the surgery, I told myself that if K-State Athletics is going to send me to Philadelphia to fix my body, I have to give it my all."
One month after the indoor season, he caught fire in the outdoor triple jump.
"I try not to look at numbers a lot during the season because I don't want to get caught up in that," he says. "First thing's first, and it's God, really. Lately, I've been asking Him to give me guidance and give me the knowledge to learn how to get better. I believe in myself a lot. When I believe there's an obstacle to overcome, I believe in myself and do a good job of beating the odds."
This all goes back to when Richardson discovered his dream. He was in the fifth grade running the 800 and 400 meters in the AAU circuit. He finished third in the 800 in St. Louis. Slowly, the high jump came along.
"I realized I could do something with track," he says.
And these days, he's doing plenty.
"I'm just a competitor when it comes down to it," he says. "I'm not a person who quits. I've seen a lot of people over the years realize track wasn't the easiest sport, so they quit and didn't finish. My mom instilled early into my life that if I start something I have to finish it. I fell in love with track, so there wasn't a thought of quitting. I always told myself, 'There's something I can do better.'
"I've learned more and more, and I'm maturing, and I'm willing to do anything to succeed."
Wednesday afternoon found Richardson preparing for practice. There are still goals to meet and obstacles to overcome. Eventually, Richardson figures to reap the rewards of his hard work, as he did most recently at the John Jacobs Invitational, when he recorded the longest triple jump of his life.
"Today at practice is a jump session," he says, excitedly. "We're going to go after it."
Chasing the dream remains ongoing.
For Richardson, the best usually comes last.
Players Mentioned
/ Track & Field
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