Senior peaks at right time for big meet

Less than two months ago, senior long jumper Rose Richmond was forced to stay behind as her team left for the season's opening meet against Michigan. Richmond was sidelined with a hamstring injury just days before the meet. For the next three weeks, Richmond was only permitted to do minor conditioning as she received treatment twice a day for her injury. \n"It was the worst three weeks of my life," she said. \nSince her first competitive appearance Feb. 7 at the Indiana Invitational, Richmond has improved each week and is seeded second in the conference, out of first by only seven centimeters. She has accomplished this even though she has taken no more than three of six jumps in competition so far this season. Richmond, the outdoor long jump Big Ten champion, qualified provisionally for the NCAA Indoor Championships last weekend at the Hoosier Hills Open. \nVertical and horizontal jump coach Wayne Pate said, despite Richmond's injury, she is peaking just in time to make an impact at the Big Ten Championships this weekend, which will be hosted by IU. \n"There's no telling how far she'll jump this weekend," he said. "I just know she'll jump farther than she ever has."\nCoach Randy Heisler said the injury may actually have long term benefits for Richmond in that now she is "recovered, fresh and jumping farther." Richmond has won the long jump in two of the three meets she has she has competed in, and finished second in the other. \nHeisler said he's confident Richmond will compete well this weekend because of her talent and competitive nature.\n"She does what she needs to do and more times than not she comes out on top," he said. \nPate said he considers Richmond a dependable jumper.\n"Over the years she's been the most explosive jumper I've ever coached," he said. \nRichmond said fellow jumpers senior Tandra Foster and juniors Jennifer Cobbina and Lauren Chesnut have helped push her to success. \n"When I see them doing well, it makes me want to do well too," she said. "I love having them with me. It wouldn't be fun being by myself."\nRichmond said she hopes to continue her track career after graduating but must achieve a 22-foot jump outdoors in order to do so. Her farthest jump last year was 21'06.75, and she said reaching that goal is important to her because she isn't ready to give up a sport she has loved since age six.\n"I love the sport. It's hard to stay away from it," she said. "When it's time to give it up I don't know what I'm going to do."\nRichmond and her teammates will be in action this Saturday and Sunday as the Hoosiers host the Big Ten Championships.