Henderson Reflects With Pride on Outstanding Season

Published by IAAF on September 3, 2014

Forced to curtail his season prematurely due to a painfully bruised left heel, and passing up a chance to have a tilt at taking the Diamond Race in Brussels this Friday as well as represent Americas at the IAAF Continental Cup later this month, Jeff Henderson can still reflect with pride on an outstanding year.

The 2014 US long jump champion frustratingly injured his heel at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Glasgow on 12 July and pulled out of the subsequent Monaco event.

Attempting to extend his outdoor winning streak of nine victories, his last defeat coming when he failed to make the final at the 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships, Henderson pushed through the pain barrier at the IAAF Diamond League meetings in Stockholm and Birmingham last month but could do no better than eighth and fifth respectively and, sadly, decided to call it quits and return home.

“It was hurting the whole time,” explained Henderson, who jumped a wind-assisted 8.52m to win his first national title in June.

“It was affecting me the whole time. I could hardly walk on it so I came home early. There was nothing to prove.”

He is currently resting and icing his heel before resuming training later this month, confident that he can make further significant improvements next year.