Tianna Madison, a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, from Elyria, Ohio won a world championship in the long jump at the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki in August. She leaped a career-best and a UT record of 22 feet, 7.25 inches. With that jump, Madison became only the second American woman in history to win a world title in the long jump (joining Jackie Joyner-Kersee). Madison was the first active Lady Vol to strike gold at the World Championships. In addition, she was the number-one ranked American woman in the long jump during the entire 2005 NCAA season. She was the 2005 NCAA Outdoor long jump champion and All-American, helping Tennessee finish fourth in Sacramento and char its best outdoor result nationally since 1987. When she won the 2005 NCAA Indoor long jump championship, she helped spur Tennessee to win its first-ever NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship. She was the 2005 SEC Outdoor long jump champion, the 2005 SEC Indoor champion and was named the SEC Indoor Field Events Athlete of the Year. Madison earned NCAA All-American status and was on the SEC and Lady Vol Academic Honor Rolls for the second straight season.
