Boys Track and Field Farmington's Ingram sets sights on high jump title

Vernon Tarver/NW Arkansas Democrat-Gazette — Michael Ingram, Farmington senior, is set to compete in the Class 5A State Track Meet today at Morrilton High School. Ingram has qualified in the high jump and the 400-meter relay.
Vernon Tarver/NW Arkansas Democrat-Gazette — Michael Ingram, Farmington senior, is set to compete in the Class 5A State Track Meet today at Morrilton High School. Ingram has qualified in the high jump and the 400-meter relay.

FARMINGTON -- In an era where the high school multi-sport athletes are few and far between, Michael Ingram shows that there are still some willing to spread their talents beyond one specific arena.

Ingram (6-foot-3, 180-pounds) has been a key figure on the Farmington football and basketball teams throughout his career. A leading receiver in the fall and key contributor on the hardcourt in the winters, Ingram has no doubt left a mark as he wraps up his senior year.

At A Glance

Class 5A State Track Meet

When: Today

Where: Morrilton

Defending Champions: Girls, Magnolia; Boys, Vilonia

But for Ingram, the multi-sport participation doesn't stop with just football and basketball. On the outdoor track this spring, he's beginning to make some serious noise as well.

Since junior high, Ingram has competed in the high jump. And while it might have taken some time to get adjusted to the event, the work he's put in is paying off.

"It all started last year during conference," Ingram said. "That's when I got my form down and my speed down and got all the things down to be good at it."

Ingram jumped a mark of 6-feet, 2 inches at a meet at Gravette, then went one better with a career-best leap of 6-3 at the Fayetteville Bulldog Relays this season.

"That was big for him to get 6-3," Farmington track coach Spencer Adams said. "To get that in Fayetteville against that (Class 7A) competition was big."

Farmington doesn't have its own track at the school and typically borrows the Fayetteville facility at Ramay Junior High the day before meets to help prepare for competitions. But that hasn't slowed down Ingram. Despite a lack of facilities compared to some other high jumpers around the state, he has the third-best mark in Class 5A entering today's state meet at Morrilton.

Part of his growth in the high jump event is years of practice. But Ingram also credits his other sports as well.

"I really use all of it," Ingram said. "In football I use speed and footwork and basketball there's more power and the jumpoff. So I use all of that (with high jump)."

Having already hit his personal goal of a 6'1" jump this season, Ingram is now setting his sights on a 6'4" jump. And he's hopeful that will be the mark that brings home an individual high jump championship.

For this multi-sport Farmington athlete, it would be the perfect ending to an already accomplished high school career.

"That's what you want," Ingram said. "You always want to go out as a champion."

Sports on 05/07/2015

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