Meiser fights pain to gain medal

Senior high jumper ignores possible stress fracture

By: Rudy Brandl
   SOUTH BRUNSWICK — Kaitlin Meiser just had to ignore the pain.
   Meiser knew it would be her last chance to compete as a high school track and field athlete. She was representing Hillsborough High at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions in the high jump competition. This was no time to complain about a stress fracture in the left foot.
   Meiser did some of her best and most clutch jumping with one bad foot. In a red-hot competition that saw 15 girls clear 5-4, Meiser hung right with the best and wound up equaling her personal-best to finish in an eight-way tie for eighth place.
   The determined Hillsborough senior received a much-deserved medal for her gutty performance.
   "I just had to do it for the end of the season since it’s my last high school meet," Meiser said moments after missing her third attempt at 5-6, which would have been a new personal standard. "It’s my take-off foot and it’s been bothering me so I didn’t even practice this week."
   Despite not working out, Meiser cleared 5-4 for the first time since the Somerset County Relays back in April. Meiser also made up for a subpar performance at the State Group 4 Championships, where she was very disappointed with a sixth-place jump of 5-0.
   After missing her opening jump at 5-0, Meiser cleared that height to move on to 5-2, where she also needed two tries to advance. Unfortunately, most of the other girls were still alive.
   "I was all excited because I thought that 5-2 would definitely place," she said. "Then all the girls started making it. I thought there would only be a few girls left. It was crazy."
   Meiser almost didn’t make it to 5-6. After missing twice at 5-4, she was down to a do-or-die attempt. Meiser made it happen to earn the right to give it three shots at 5-6.
   "I came in here thinking I had nothing to lose," said Meiser, who may now decide to compete at the University of Notre Dame. "I got up there thinking I had one more jump left. I just took off the pressure. When I do that, I jump better."