Jamie Nieto

Jamie Nieto

Jamie Nieto at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games
Personal information
Birth name Jamie Earl Nieto
Nationality United States
Born (1976-11-02) November 2, 1976
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Residence Chula Vista, California, U.S.
Occupation Athlete, Actor
Years active 1999–present
Height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg)
Sport
Sport Track and Field
Event(s) High Jump
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s) High Jump: 2.34 (Athens 2004)

Jamie Nieto (born November 2, 1976) in Seattle, Washington is an American high jumper and actor who resides in Chula Vista, California. He is one of the few world-class jumpers to jump off his right leg.

His personal best jump is 2.34 (7' 8"), achieved at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He was the 2004 USA Olympic Trials Champion with a jump of 2.33 meters (7' 7.5") as well as the 2003 USA Outdoor Champion with a jump of 2.30 meters (7' 6.5"). He started acting in 2007 doing short films and local commercials.

Nieto attended Eastern Michigan University, Sacramento City College, and Valley High School. He is an artist with work on display through the Art of the Olympians

Early life

Nieto, born in Seattle, Washington and raised in Sacramento California, is a devout Christian. Nieto sees his jumping ability as a gift from God, saying, "Your only limitations are what you believe them to be and as long you put God first you can achieve all things through Him."

High school

Jamie Nieto attended Valley High School, where he played football and basketball his sophomore year. Then his junior year competed in track and field. His senior year he played basketball again and ran on the track team.

Nieto didn't discover his gift for high jumping until he tried out for track in the eleventh grade. Just ten weeks after that first tryout, he competed at the CIF California State Meet. In the coming seasons, he became most improved track athlete on his team. Nieto graduated in 1994, and had offers from division 2 colleges for basketball and track and field.

The 10-Year Valley High School Reunion in Sacramento, CA proved to be one of great reminiscence with classmates. Jamie and his classmates exchanged stories about the yesteryears and shared a delightful dinner with amusing songs from the 1990s. Prior to exiting the building, Jamie left behind a few mementos marking his participation in the 2004 Olympics.

College

He planned to attend Sacramento City College where he competed and placed 2nd in 1995 and 3rd in 1996 at the CCCAA California Community College Championships. He then was offered a scholarship to Eastern Michigan University where he became a 3-Time All American, Indoor and Outdoor School Record Holder, and Indoor Mid American Conference Champion. Then competed in the 1999 World University Games in Palma Del Mallorca. Nieto graduated with an Associate of Arts Degree and a Bachelor of Business Administration.

Professional

Nieto enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2003 with his win at the U.S. Outdoor Championships. 2004 showed even more improvement, winning the 2004 Olympic Trials and taking fourth at the Olympic Games in Athens, with a personal best clearance of 2.34m/7-8. Sweden's Stefan Holm won the gold with a jump of 2.36. Nieto was among the 3 men who scaled 2.34 that day, American Matt Hemingway was awarded the silver medal on the basis of his perfect record (no misses), while the Czech Republic's Jaroslav Baba edged Nieto for the bronze because Baba cleared 2.34 on his first attempt, Nieto on his second.

Ranked among the top 10 U.S. jumpers since 1998, Nieto had never been ranked higher than 4th – or finished higher than 4th at the USA Outdoor Championships – before winning the 2003 national title, his first national crown on any level. In 2003, he equaled his then personal best of 2.30m/7-6.5 on three occasions – at the USA Championships, in Madrid and at Eberstadt, Germany…also in 2003 Nieto posted six of the top eight clearances by an American that season.

Nieto continued to prove in 2010 that he is one of the nation’s best men’s high jumpers with his third-place finish at the USA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, and by placing fourth at the USA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque. Nieto had a strong season in 2008 highlighted by his runner-up finish at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. However, Nieto did not qualify for a spot on the Team USA roster for Beijing because he did not clear the Olympic "A" qualifying standard of 2.30m/7-6.50 during the designated time frame prior to, or during the Trials. Nieto’s best clearance in 2008 of 2.30m/7-6.50 happened on July 12 following the Olympic Trials. It was his best performance since clearing that identical height in 2005.

Nieto is coached by Cliff Rovelto of Kansas State, and he also works with Joe Radan, whom he calls his “mentor”. He earned an Associate of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Business Administration. Nieto’s budding acting career includes featured roles in the movies The Encounter and Jerusalem Countdown.

In 2012, Nieto was sponsored by The New York Athletic Club and focused on making the Olympic Team, training at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. He concurrently worked on establishing his acting career. He has done 5 feature films and takes classes in San Diego, Ca. On August 1, 2012 he shared his thoughts from his hotel room in the Olympic Village about the competition as well as other things that he is focusing on in his life.

In 2014-15, Nieto coached USATF junior national outdoor champion and two NCAA all American performers at University of Southern California.

Nieto suffered serious injury resulting in paralysis while doing a back flip in April, 2016.[1][2]

Achievements

Year Tournament Venue Result Extra
2003 Pan American Games Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 2nd
World Championships Paris, France 7th 2.29 m
World Athletics Final Monte Carlo, Monaco 3rd 2.30 m
2004 World Indoor Championships Budapest, Hungary 9th
Olympic Games Athens, Greece 4th 2.34 m PB
World Athletics Final Monte Carlo, Monaco 4th
2007 Pan American Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 7th
2012 Olympic Games London, Great Britain 6th 2.29 m

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
2009 Kontrast Will Smith
2010 The Encounter Hank Miller
2011 Jerusalem Countdown Russ Walters
Red Line Adam
2013 Baseball's Last Hero: 21 Clemente Stories Roberto Clemente

References

  1. ↑ https://www.flipcause.com/secure/public_updates/NzQ0Mg==/394
  2. ↑ http://nypost.com/2016/04/26/olympic-high-jumper-in-near-fatal-fall-after-letting-insurance-lapse/
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