The Virginian-Pilot
                            THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, January 31, 1996            TAG: 9601310454
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY KEITH POMPEY, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                         LENGTH: Medium:   54 lines

JAMIN ELLIOTT CHURCHLAND BIG TRIPLE JUMP HAS HIM AIMING IN NEW DIRECTIONS

Jamin Elliott went to the Fork Union Military indoor track meet hoping to qualify for the 1996 high school national championships.

But when the Churchland junior failed to reach the finals in the long jump, his dream started to fade.

That's when Elliott made a promise to coach Clarence Brown.

``After I (didn't make) any of my attempts in the long jump, I told coach not to worry because I was going to win the triple jump,'' Elliott said.

And that he did.

Elliott leaped 47 feet, 2 1/2 inches, shattering his school record of 45-8. The national-qualifying leap currently ranks him second in the state. West Potomac's Cleveland McLory is first at 48-6.

For that effort, Elliott has been named the Virginian-Pilot's male athlete of the week.

``I don't know how I jumped 47 feet,'' he said. ``My only motivation was qualifying for nationals. I guess I was feeling it.''

Brown always knew Elliott could do it.

``Jamin has unlimited potential,'' the coach says. ``He's the best triple jumper I ever had. He's strong. He's fast. And he's got a lot of determination. We haven't had close to him in the triple jump.

``A lot of people try to triple jump, but for whatever reason they can't. He knows how to triple jump.''

Now that a place in the nationals is secure, Elliott has other things on his mind.

``I want to win the district, regional and state triple jumping titles,'' said Elliott, who finished third at the indoor state track meet last year. ``I'm really looking forward to competing against McLory in the state meet. He beat me all the time last year. Now it's time for me to redeem myself.''

Elliott's skills are not limited to the triple jump. He has turned in big efforts in the long jump (21-6), the 55-meter dash (6.2 seconds) and the pole vault (12-6).

``He likes to compete,'' said Brown. ``And he knows to be successful, you have to work hard. When he was a freshman, I could see that in him.''

Track isn't even Elliott's favorite sport. The football wide receiver for the Truckers, who carries a 3.0 grade-point average, said he has received some Division I interest in that area, most notably from the University of South Carolina.

``At first, I never really thought about running track in college,'' he said. ``I always wanted to play football at North Carolina or Auburn. But now I'm starting to become interested in track.'' by CNB