Tiombé Hurd, an Elite Athlete Grantee Biography

TIOMBE HURD

HOMETOWN: UPPER MARLBORO, MD
SCHOOL: JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY, HOWARD UNIVERSITY (MBA)
EVENT: TRIPLE JUMP

Career Highlights: American Record Holder; 6-Time USA Champions; 2001 World Indoor Championships Bronze Medalist; 2004 Olympian

Some of my favorite things: Hip-Hop/Rap on the iPod before competitions; soul food & orange juice; Movies: Training Day, Gladiator, The Usual Suspects, Goodfellas, Uptown Saturday Night, Coming to America; Standup Comedy: Richard Pryor, Edie Murphy, Chris Rock, Dave Chapelle; TV: The First 48, Law & Order, reality courtroom & home make-over shows, Martin, King of Queens, Seinfeld

CLICK HERE FOR TIOMBE'S DETAILED PERFORMANCE INFORMATION.

In Tiombé's words:

"The USATF Foundation grant was a big help to me. Being a full-time athlete now, I don’t have typical medical benefits like I did when I was working full-time. Injuries are a part of sport so it’s important to have access to doctors on a regular basis, if needed. I was able to use my grant money to not only pay for doctors’ appointments, but also pay for preventive care such as chiropractic, massages, and physical therapy treatment. The grant helped me keep my body healthy and injury-free so I could continue training and competing at a high level."

My father, Clifford, is my biggest fan & supporter, and travels to all U.S. Championships and Team USA events that I compete in. He has been a major contributor emotionally and financially over the years. He’s the best!

I first began running track when I participated in city recreation programs while in elementary school in Seattle, Washington. Then I moved to the East Coast with my mother before starting junior high school. During my freshman year of high school, one of my teachers, who was also the head track coach, noticed my long legs and asked me to join the track team. By that time, I hadn't run in a few years and was more interested in enjoying the high school social scene. The following year he continued to ask me whenever he saw me in the hallways. It took some convincing, but I eventually joined the team in the middle of my sophomore year. I was introduced to the 400 meters, the sprint relays, and the triple jump. I accepted a college scholarship from James Madison University (JMU) and was allowed to focus mainly on the triple jump there, with an occasional relay. I loved the triple jump and have been doing it ever since.

I graduated from JMU with a BBA in Hotel-Restaurant Management and earned an MBA from Howard University. I worked for Hyatt Hotels for several years while continuing my athletic training and competing on the side. During this time, I had a fairly successful track career, winning three U.S. titles and a bronze medal at the world indoor championships. But, I had failed to qualify for an Olympic team yet. So, in the spring of 2003, I decided to leave my job and began training full-time for the first time in my life, in an effort to make the 2004 Olympic team. I knew that in order to perform at my best, I needed to train full-time, get adequate rest and recovery, and take care of my body. I needed the extra hours in the day that I would normally spend at work and put them into training and post-training care. My decision paid off. The following year I won two more U.S. titles, broke the American record in the triple jump, and made the 2004 Olympic team.

Many people in the sport know, but often forget, that I was born with degenerated retinas. My condition is most commonly referred to as being “legally blind,” where I can see light but have extremely low visual acuity and severe nearsightedness without corrective lenses.  When I was eleven I was fitted with contact lenses that allowed me to lead a fairly normal lifestyle. However, I’ve still had to learn how to cope with everyday situations where my vision is still too poor to see things clearly, even with corrective lenses. My condition also affects my depth perception and, thus, I place wide strips of colored tape on the runway when I compete to help guide me to the takeoff board. There aren’t any current surgeries that would successfully correct my condition, but there are some new surgeries still in the testing phases now. So, my fingers are crossed!

I am looking forward to many more seasons of continued success! In my post-athletic career, I’d like to continue involvement in the sports world and work with a major sports team.

Thanks,

Tiombé Hurd, Triple Jump

CLICK HERE FOR TIOMBE'S DETAILED PERFORMANCE INFORMATION.

Please contact Tom Jackovic, Executive Director, USATF Foundation at (412) 398-2484 for additional information about Elite Athlete support programs.