# Sha'Keela Saunders

Sha'Keela Saunders (born December 18, 1993) is an American track and field athlete who competes in the long jump. Saunders finished third at the long jump final at the 2017 IAAF Diamond League and 2018 IAAF Diamond League. She represented her country at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics and won gold at NACAC Championships.

## Professional career

In Fall 2022, coach Sha'Keela Saunders joined Hampton University track and field staff.
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 21st (q) | Long jump | 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in) |
| 2018 | NACAC Championships | Toronto, Canada | 1st | Long jump | 6.60 m (21 ft 8 in) |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 9th | Long jump | 6.54 m (21 ft 5 in) |

### National championships

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| 2022 | USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 6th | Long jump | 6.51 m (21 ft 4 in) |
| 2022 | 2022 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships | Spokane, Washington | 3rd | Long jump | 6.48 m (21 ft 3 in) |
| 2021 | United States Olympic trials | Eugene, Oregon | 6th | Long jump | 6.71 m (22 ft 0 in) |
| 2019 | USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Des Moines, Iowa | 3rd | Long jump | 6.78 m (22 ft 3 in) |
| 2018 | USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Des Moines, Iowa | 1st | Long jump | 6.54 m (21 ft 5 in) |
| 2017 | USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Sacramento, California | 3rd | Long jump | 6.92 m (22 ft 8 in) |
| 2016 | USA Olympic Trials | Eugene, Oregon | 4th | Long jump | 6.89 m (22 ft 7 in) |
| 2015 | USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 5th | Long jump | 6.75 m (22 ft 2 in) |
| 2014 | USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Hornet Stadium (Sacramento) | 7th | Long jump | 6.42 m (21 ft 1 in) |

## University of Kentucky

Sha'Keela Saunders is a 2017 NCAA Division I Indoor track and field Long jump champion. Sha'Keela Saunders earned 13-time NCAA Division I All-America honors. Sha'Keela Saunders first broke the University of Kentucky Wildcats school record in the long jump for the first time 6.53 m (21 ft 5 in) en route to a first-place finish at the 2015 University of Kentucky Rod McCravy Memorial Track & Field Meet at Southeastern Conference for Women's Indoor Track and Field. Sha'Keela Saunders set the University of Kentucky Wildcats school record in the Long jump in 6.90 m (22 ft 8 in) in 2017 - a performance thank ranked / placed her in third on the all-time collegiate indoor list.
Sha'Keela Saunders improved on the University of Kentucky Wildcats school record in the Triple jump 13.32 m (43 ft 8 in) but in the same meet (2017 SEC Outdoor Championship on ESPNU) her teammate Marie Josée Ebwea Bile improved on that record 13.39 m (43 ft 11 in). Saunders was named to the Bowerman Award watch list in 2017.
| Year | Conference indoor | NCAA indoor | Conference Outdoor | NCAA Outdoor |
| 2017 | Long Jump 6.81 m (22 ft 4 in) 1st Triple Jump 13.32 m (43 ft 8 in) 7th 4x400 meters 3:36.25 5th | Long Jump 6.90 m (22 ft 8 in) 1st 12.80 m (42 ft 0 in) 13th | Long Jump 6.75 m (22 ft 2 in) 2nd Triple Jump 12.15 m (39 ft 10 in) 13th 4x400 meters 3:35.56 6th | Long Jump 6.48 m (21 ft 3 in) 5th 4x400 meters 3:40.20 21st |
| 2016 | Long Jump 6.59 m (21 ft 7 in) 3rd Triple Jump 12.56 m (41 ft 2 in) 10th | Long Jump 6.56 m (21 ft 6 in) 2nd Triple Jump 13.01 m (42 ft 8 in) 8th | Long Jump 6.61 m (21 ft 8 in) 2nd Triple Jump 13.19 m (43 ft 3 in) 5th | Triple Jump 13.21 m (43 ft 4 in) 9th |
| 2015 | Long Jump 6.55 m (21 ft 6 in) 1st Triple Jump 13.08 m (42 ft 11 in) 4th | Long Jump 6.53 m (21 ft 5 in) 2nd 13.08 m (42 ft 11 in) 6th | Long Jump 6.52 m (21 ft 5 in) 5th Triple Jump 12.48 m (40 ft 11 in) 10th | Long Jump 6.75 m (22 ft 2 in) 3rd |
| 2014 | Long Jump 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) 4th 200 meters 24.22 24th | 4x400 meters 3:37.69 12th | 4x400 meters 3:34.93 4th Long Jump 5.96 m (19 ft 7 in) 10th Triple Jump 12.68 m (41 ft 7 in) 9th | Long Jump 6.43 m (21 ft 1 in) 2nd 4x400 meters 3:39.09 22nd 4x100 meters 45.05 18th |

## Prep

Saunders is a 2012 graduate of Nansemond River High School in Virginia.