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The Florida Gators made a strong statement on the first day of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Wednesday. The Gators surged into second place in the men’s team standings with 18 points. The star of the show for Florida was Malcolm Clemons, who secured the Long Jump National title.
In a storybook finish to his collegiate career, the redshirt senior Clemons claimed the national championship in the Men’s Long Jump—his first career title.
Malcolm Clemons – Olympian, five-time All-American, and now…
National Champion.#GoGators pic.twitter.com/ISNS2LIr8k
— Gators Track and Field & Cross Country (@GatorsTF) June 12, 2025
The veteran Gator adds a national championship to an already stacked resume. Already an Olympian and five-time All-American, Clemons wasted no time making his mark. On his first attempt, he soared 8.04 meters (26 feet, 4.5 inches)—a season-best by over five inches—springing into the lead.
Over the next two hours, none of the 23 other competitors could surpass his opening jump. The title was secured when Oklahoma State’s Blair Anderson fell short on his final attempt. Clemons returned to the runway one last time, not to compete—but to celebrate.
In a symbolic finish, Clemons ran through the pit without jumping, arms raised in triumph acknowledging the Hayward Field crowd. Clemons sprinted into the arms of Florida Associate Head Coach Nic Petersen.
His victory marks Florida’s first men’s outdoor Long Jump title since KeAndre Bates won in 2017 and the fourth in program history.
