# Vashti Cunningham

Vashti Cunningham (born January 18, 1998) is an American track and field athlete specializing in the high jump. She is the daughter of retired National Football League (NFL) quarterback Randall Cunningham, niece of retired NFL fullback Sam Cunningham, and the younger sister of Randall Cunningham II. Her mother is Felicity de Jager Cunningham, a former ballerina with the Dance Theatre of Harlem. Vashti, like her brother two years ahead of her in school, jumped for Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada until March 2016 when she signed with Nike. She announced at that time she intended to continue her education at a university while competing as a professional athlete.

## Jumping career

On April 18, 2015, at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, California, Cunningham jumped 1.94 m (6 ft 4+1⁄4 in), to set the new national high school record. At age 17, that was also equal to the No. 4 world Youth mark (under 19 years old). At that date it was the No. 3 mark in the world in 2015. She was named USATF Athlete of the Week for that performance. On June 27, 2015, she won the U.S. Junior National Championship. A month later at the 2015 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships, she improved again, jumping 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in). That mark equaled the World Youth Best.
On March 12, 2016, Vashti jumped 1.99 m (6 ft 6+1⁄4 in) while winning the 2016 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Portland, Oregon. The mark established a new World Junior Record. At the time, just one week before the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships, which were held in the same facility in the Portland convention center, Cunningham's jump was the No. 1 jump in the world in 2016. Eight days later, she won the World Indoor Championship.
In March 2017, Cunningham jumped 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) to win at 2017 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships. On April 15, 2017, Cunningham jumped 1.94 m (6 ft 4+1⁄4 in) to win in Torrance, California at Mt. SAC Relays, two weeks later she jumped 1.95 m (6 ft 4+3⁄4 in) to win at Penn Relays. Cunningham jumped 1.95 m (6 ft 4+3⁄4 in) to place 3rd behind World Champion Mariya Lasitskene on May 27 in Eugene at IAAF Diamond League 2017 Prefontaine Classic. On June 23, Cunningham jumped 1.99 m (6 ft 6+1⁄4 in) to win in 2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Sacramento State University. On July 9, 2017, Cunningham jumped 1.97 m (6 ft 5+1⁄2 in) to place 2nd at London Müller Anniversary Games. On July 21, 2017, Cunningham jumped 1.97 m (6 ft 5+1⁄2 in) to place 3rd at IAAF Diamond League 2017 Herculis in Fontvieille, Monaco. On August 12, 2017, Cunningham jumped 1.92 m (6 ft 3+1⁄2 in) to place 10th at World Championships.
On February 18, 2018, Cunningham jumped 1.97 m (6 ft 5+1⁄2 in) to win third consecutive high jump indoor title and 4th US senior title at 2018 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico. On March 1, Cunningham jumped 1.93 m (6 ft 3+3⁄4 in) to place second behind World Champion Mariya Lasitskene in high jump at 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
On July 7, 2023, Vashti Cunningham claimed her 13th U.S. high jump title with a victory at the U.S. outdoor track and field championships in Eugene, Oregon.

## Competition record

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Notes |
| Representing the United States |||||
| 2015 | Pan American Junior Championships | Edmonton, Alberta | 1st | 1.96 m |
| 2016 | World Indoor Championships | Portland, Oregon | 1st | 1.96 m |
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 13th | 1.88 m |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 10th | 1.92 m |
| 2018 | World Indoor Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 2nd | 1.93 m |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 3rd | 2.00 m |
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 6th | 1.96 m |
| 2022 | World Championships | Eugene, United States | 18th (q) | 1.86 m |
| 2022 | NACAC Championships | Freeport, Bahamas | 1st | 1.92 m |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 11th | 1.90 m |
| 2024 | World Indoor Championships | Glasgow, United Kingdom | ― | DNS |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | 5th | 1.95 |
    $^a$ Pan American junior championships record and world youth record

### USA national championships and Olympic trials

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Notes |
| 2016 | 2016 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships | Portland, Oregon | 1st | 1.99 m |
| 2016 | 2016 United States Olympic trials | Eugene, Oregon | 2nd | 1.97 m |
| 2017 | 2017 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 1st | 1.96 m |
| 2017 | 2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Sacramento, California | 1st | 1.99 m |
| 2018 | 2018 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 1st | 1.97 m |
| 2018 | 2018 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Des Moines, Iowa | 1st | 1.95 m |
| 2019 | 2019 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships | Staten Island, New York | 1st | 1.96 m |
| 2019 | 2019 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Des Moines, Iowa | 1st | 1.96 m |
| 2020 | 2020 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 1st | 1.97 m |
| 2021 | 2020 United States Olympic trials | Eugene, Oregon | 1st | 1.96 m |
| 2022 | 2022 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships | Spokane, Washington | 1st | 1.91 m |
| 2022 | 2022 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 1st | 1.93 m |
| 2023 | 2023 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 1st | 2.00 m |
| 2023 | 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 1st | 1.91 m |
| 2024 | 2024 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 1st | 1.92 m |
| 2024 | 2024 United States Olympic trials | Eugene, Oregon | 3rd | 1.91 m |
    $^a$ American junior record
    $^b$ American junior outdoor record