Questioned about completing a box jump in one of his first track and field practices, Malcolm Were offered a head-turning response.
“You know I can dunk, right?” Were said, according to the recollection of coach Paul McDonald.
Translation: Of course he could. And that was over a year ago, when the now Belmont High School sophomore knew nothing of the event that would change his athletic trajectory
Born in Uganda, Were moved to Belmont at age seven to join his mother, Prisca Nanzala, who immigrated to the United States for educational opportunities and stayed to work as a nurse. Nanzala, who played college volleyball in Uganda, said she’s proud of her son’s rapid jump — pun intended.
“To be honest, I’m still shocked,” Nanzala said. “It takes me by surprise every time… He’s very self-motivated and dedicated to this.”
What exactly is the triple jump? World Athletics defines it as competitors running down the track and hopping, skipping, then jumping into a sand pit. The distance from the edge of the take-off board to the closest mark in the sand accounts for the official distance measurement. An Olympic event since 1896, the triple jump has had its current format since 1908.
Were discovered the event on a whim. A wide receiver and kick returner for the Belmont High School football team in the fall, he learned many successful gridiron stars moonlighted as track and field athletes as amateurs. To follow in their footsteps, he went out for track, open to anything and everything.
Always the highest leaper amongst his peers, Were knew he “had hops,” but initially thought about throwing javelin. When the coaching staff introduced him to the jumping events, Were showed strong potential despite his inexperience; so they decided to roll with it. Not even a year later, Were ranks among the best in the sport nationally.
Were combines a “really impressive natural” jumping ability with an insatiable hunger to get better, according to his coach.
“He’s always looking to do more and learns new motor patterns quickly,” McDonald said.
In addition to triple jumping, Were competes in long jump and 4×100, 4×200 and 4×400 relays. His willingness to try new events, like the 400-meter hurdles this spring, sets a good example for other athletes who are solely focused on a specific event.
The jumpers at-large for the Belmont High School boys succeeded at the Division II Relays. The team placed third in the triple jump and high jump, and fourth in the long jump.
Were led the way in triple and long jump events alongside juniors Adrian Geon and Leonard Dai in the former and Dai and sophomore Esmael Peavey in the latter. The high jump team consisted of Peavey, Geon, and junior Lincoln Correia.
Last year as a freshman, Were’s 41.10-foot triple jump placed him ninth at the MIAA Division 2 championship. He was the only ninth grader to place in the top 25. He hopes to place in the top three at this year’s Division 2 championship meet, scheduled for Friday, May 29 and Sunday, May 31 at Merrimack College in North Andover. The Meet of Champions happens the following Thursday and Saturday at the same site.
Were wants to join the Metro Cobras youth development program but has yet to hear back. He trains a lot on his own, twice daily in the summer, choosing the hottest part of the day to challenge himself. He prioritizes sleep and locks in on nutrition, all with a new personal record in mind.
His routine before each jump involves many steps: toe the line, take a few steps back, jump in place a few times, shake his legs, tap them, draw an imaginary starting line… “And then I’m off,” he said. He thinks about exploding, popping off the ground as hard as he can.
Eventually, he wants to compete in college at the Division I level. Coaches already know about him, Were said. He loves to compete, and triple jump brings out his best.
“It’s something I can do without worrying about this or that,” Were said. “I just get to go out and perform.”
