Former Rice All-American track and field athlete Funmi Jimoh will represent Team USA once again, after placing third at the USA National Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the women’s long jump. Jimoh will now compete at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, August 15-23, 2009. She previously competed for Team USA at the Beijing Olympics last summer.
“She really competed tough having a some adversity with an injury occuring on her jumps,” said her coach  Jim Bevan. “Funmi (Jimoh) is an amazing competitor who turned in a tough performance this afternoon.” Jimoh, a Rice 2007 graduate, posted a best mark of 6.77m/22-2.50, which was also tied by Grace Upshaw, but Jimoh had a better second-highest mark of 6.72m which she needed on her last attempt. Upshaw’s second-highest mark was 6.70m. Jimoh came into the competition as one of the favorites. The IAAF World Championships take place in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, which will host its first major international track and field event since the 1936 Olympic Games.