Will Rush (right) won the gold medal in the triple jump at the Coast2Coast International Meet in Gold Coast, Australia on Tuesday, July 16. Rush is pictured with USA teammate Stan Stremick (left) who won the silver, and his Coast2Coast jumping coach Nicole Lincoln. (Courtesy photo)
Maine Class B triple jump champion Will Rush won the gold medal at the Coast2Coast International Meet in Gold Coast, Australia on July 15. (LCN file photo by Mic LeBel)
Will Rush set a meet record for the triple jump during the Coast2Coast International Meet at the Sports Super Center in Gold Coast, Australia on Monday, July 15.
Competing for a USA team comprised of athletes from 23 different states, Rush also won a silver medal in the long jump.
Despite feeling ill during the competition, Rush’s gold medal leap in the triple jump competition was 45’1”. While it was not his personal best, Rush’s leap was good enough to out-jump his competition from Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
Rush, a 2024 graduate of Medomak Valley High School, also took the silver in long jump with a distance of 22’3”.
“I am so thankful that I was invited to join this international track & field team and compete for the USA,” said Rush. “This really has been a once in a life time opportunity. It’s hard to believe that I came from a small town in Maine all the way to Australia and broke the meet record.”
Winning triple jump competitions and setting records is not new to Rush, who holds records for both the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference and Medomak Valley. Rush won the Class B state championship for the triple jump on June 1 with a leap of 44’5.5”. Rush also won the boys triple jump at the Class B state indoor track championship on February 19 with a leap of 43’7”.
Rush placed fourth in the triple jump at the New England high school track and field championships in Durham, N.H. on June 8 with a leap of 46’4.75.”
According to Rush, jumping in Australia is different than what he is used to competing in New England.
“The heat in Australia makes it easier for jumping competitions,” said Rush. “It was also beneficial to jump at the Sports Super Center venue in Gold Coast because it is state-of-the-art and very high tech.”
For Rush, the best part of competing at the international meet is getting to know people from other parts of the world who are just as passionate about the sport as he is, including Coast2Coast team jumping coach Nicole Lincoln
“Nicole is an amazing coach and the team is a great group of people,” he said.
Rush, who is now preparing for the long trip back to the U.S., said he was able to compete at the Coast2Coast meet due to generous support he received through local community fundraisers.
“Thank you to everyone that helped me participate in this life-changing event,” said Rush.
Rush will attend the University of Maine in the fall where he will continue to compete in track and field.
Will Rush explores Australia with his USA teammates during breaks from the international track and field meet where he won a gold medal in the triple jump and a silver medal in the long jump. (Courtesy photo)
