BALTIMORE – Christina Epps will be easy to spot among the gaggle of competitors Saturday when she confidently struts onto the Olympic stage in Rio De Janeiro. She’ll be competing in the triple jump at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on NBC Sports Network.
“I’ll be wearing a Coppin State shirt during warm ups,” Epps said. “The shirt has Rio on the sleeve. I can’t wait to go out there and show it off and let everybody know how proud I am of my alma mater.”
Epps is one of three United States triple jumpers competing in Rio, a rarity in the event. Joining Epps as team USA members in the event are Keturah Orji and Andrea Geubelle.
The 2013 Coppin State graduate is excited with participating in the Olympics and is focused on seizing the moment. The gloriously gifted Epps has been a force to be reckoned with lately. When asked recently what would constitute a successful and satisfying experience for her short of a medal in the event, of course, Epps smiled, leaned forward in her chair and offered a thoughtful answer.
“Making the finals and performing to the best of my ability,” Epps said. “I would love to achieve another personal best. I’ll be satisfied with jumping 14.17 (meters) again. To know I am on a consistent path of getting better is a good feeling and I just want to continue that. The last two world teams I made, I wasn’t able to make the finals. My goal going into the Olympics is to make the finals, have fun, relax and enjoy the experience. When I do that, I usually perform at my best.”
Fortunately for Epps, she had a week of enjoying herself between grueling practices. She had fun at the opening ceremonies, meeting athletes from other sports, snapping selfies, flashing her sparkling smile, trying on Ralph Lauren gear and attending other events. It’s been an awesome experience for Epps, who played badminton in high school and volleyball at Coppin State.
“To walk out in the opening ceremonies with all the big names I admired in sports and watched on television was exciting,” Epps said. “It’s still hard to believe at times that I am here. To be part of history with the USA having a record number of female athletes and two athletes from Morris County (New Jersey) is special and huge.”
The 25-year-old Epps, who also serves Coppin State as an academic counselor, has been doing big things internationally for the last two years. With each meet, she is getting more confident and not worrying about the large crowds, additional time demands or her competition.
Instead, her mind drifts to the lonely mornings, afternoons and evenings on the Coppin State track with her and her coach Alecia Shields-Gadson.
All that matters to Epps is the rhythmic beauty of her steps on the board after sprinting down the runway. A surge of satisfaction fills Epps with pride once she hears that sweet sound before liftoff. It’s been years of practice, hard work, sweat and relentless determination that has made this opportunity possible for Epps, whose selfless attitude and dynamic personality has helped her enjoy success.
The 2014 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Woman of the Year, Epps won the triple jump at the 2015 USTFA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field. She finished seventh in the triple jump at the Pan-Am Games and competed in the IAAF World Championships in China where she was 10th overall.
“It will be a little nerve wrecking at first,” Epps said of the triple jump. “I plan to relax and go out have fun. I know everything else will come if I do that. I am not going to put a lot of pressure on myself. When I competed in Beijing last summer, I didn’t put pressure on myself and I’ll go into Rio with the same mindset.”
Once she qualified for Rio, it was a whirlwind of radio interviews, television appearances and autograph signing for the affable Epps. Coppin State is reaping the publicity benefits of Epps’ Olympic accomplishment. The historical school with the strong nursing program, nurturing coaches, wonderful student-athletes and super facilities is receiving great attention.
Now, Epps is ready to showcase the Coppin State brand worldwide. She’ll also be comforted by a familiar face and voice during her event in Shields-Gadson.
“I would describe her as a mentor, mother, best friend, confidant and shoulder to cry on,” Epps said of Shields-Gadson. “She’s all those things bunched into one. It’s difficult to describe the feeling and admiration I have for her. I can’t put into words what our relationship is like. It’s like no other. When you have that person who believes in you more than you believe in yourself, it’s awesome.”
NOTES: Epps is one of 10 athletes from the state of New Jersey competing in Rio. … Five reigning Olympic gold medalists and five current world champions join 84 first-time Olympians on the Team USA roster. … Notable for its depth across a range of events, the roster features 46 athletes - 22 men and 24 women - who already own individual and/or relay global medals. Nineteen are American record holders and three are individual world record holders. … First -time Olympians include 42 men and 44 women. … Epps will jump Sunday night in primetime on NBC in the finals if she qualifies.