High Flying Charlie Simpkins to Compete in Meet at UCLA

Charlie Simpkins, the new wonder of world triple jumping, has signed to compete in the Pepsi Invitational track meet Saturday, May 17, at UCLA’s Drake Stadium.

Simpkins, still an undergraduate at tiny Baptist College in South Carolina, has rocketed to the pinnacle of his event in onyl two years. Some experts tab him as capable of exceeding the magic 60-foot barrier in the hop, step and jump.

The lean 6-2, 155-pounder set a world indoor record of 57-2 at the Sunkist meet last winter, then increased his best mark indoors to 57-5 at the Michelob Invitational in San Diego.

In 1985, Simpkins leaped 58-7 to become history’s third longest in his specialty.

The nearly-new long jump/triple jump facilities at Drake Stadium are rated among the fastest in the world, so Willie Banks’ world mark of 58-11 1/2, made only last summer, is threatened.