Razorback freshman Scottie Vines wins World U20 high jump

LIMA, Peru – Setting a career best height of 7 feet, 4.5 inches (2.25), secured the high jump gold medal for Arkansas freshman Scottie Vines on Friday evening at the World U20 Championships.

Vines is only the second American to win the World U20 high jump title since the competition started in 1986 with Andra Manson claiming gold in 2002. The United States has previously earned three silver medals and a bronze medal in the event.

He’s also the third Razorback to claim individual World U20 gold in the past two championships, joining Jaydon Hibbert (triple jump) and Gabriel Emmanuel (decathlon) from the 2022 meet held in Cali, Colombia.

Arkansas also has a pair of 4 x 400m relay gold medalists from the 2022 World U20 Championships in Steven McElroy and Grant Williams.

Another Razorback freshman, Sebastian Berntsen of Norway, competed in the final of the long jump on Friday and finished sixth with his opening leap of 24-11 (7.59).

Vines improved upon his previous career best of 7-4.25 (2.24) that won the 2024 Texas Relays high jump back in March. It also improves the Colorado all-time high school record Vines set to better the previous mark of 7-4 set by Arkansas alum Matt Hemingway in 1991.

In a tight competition, Vines cleared six of the nine bars he attempted on first attempts. He needed two jumps at 7-1.5 (2.17) and then a third attempt at 7-3.75 (2.23). Then Vines sailed over his new PR height of 7-4.5 on a first attempt to garner the gold medal position.

Italy’s Matteo Sioli set a career best of 7-3.75 in placing second. He required three attempts at 7-3 (2.21) and 7-3.75. Japan’s Kaisei Nakatani, who shared the best mark of 7-4.25 with Vines entering the meet, finished third with a clearance of 7-2.25 (2.19).

In taking a total of 14 jumps, the series for Vines included heights of 6-9.75 (2.08), 6-11.5 (2.12), 7-0.5 (2.15), 7-1.5 (2.17), 7-2.25 (2.19), 7-3 (2.21), 7-3.75 (2.23), 7-4.5 (2.25), and then three misses at 7-5.75 (2.28).