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December 07, 2023

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Hot Shots Earn Top Marks at Jump Rope National Championship

For the third consecutive year, Hot Shots take 2ndΒ place in Pairs Double Dutch, Mixed Division at Grand National Championship.

The Hot Shots of Tennessee competition jump rope team, based in Franklin, TN, earned six top-3 finishes during the American Jump Rope Federation (AMJRF) National Championship in Cincinnati from June 21 – 25.Β 

Olivia Byrd, Sara Smith, Delaney Talbert, andΒ Jacob WeatherfordΒ joined athletes from around the country competing in age division championships for each event during the first four days of the competition.Β  The top six overall athletes/teams in every event and gender category, regardless of age, qualified for theΒ Grand National ChampionshipΒ on June 25.Β 

For the third consecutive year, the Hot Shots brought home 2nd place in Pairs Double Dutch, mixed division, at the Grand National Championship.Β  In Pairs Double Dutch, there are two jumpers in the ropes and two turners.Β 

The Hot Shots of Tennessee also took 3rdΒ place in the Single Rope Speed Relay, mixed division, at Grand Nationals after cinching 2nd place in the mixed 19+ age division earlier in the week. In this event, each of the four athletes jumps for 30 seconds, one after the other in relay style, for a total of two minutes.

For the second consecutive year,Β Sara SmithΒ andΒ Jacob WeatherfordΒ earned 3rdΒ place in Pairs Wheel Freestyle, mixed division, at the Grand National Championship, after taking 2nd place in the mixed 19+ age division earlier in the week.Β  Wheel is a style of jump rope that includes two people with two ropes.Β  Each jumper has one handle from their own rope, and one handle from their partner’s rope.

Jacob WeatherfordΒ took 2ndΒ place with his individual freestyle performance in the male 19+ division and qualified for Grand Nationals.

The Hot Shots competitors graduated from Franklin High School, and they attend college in four different states.Β  They all earned spots on the U.S. National Jump Rope Team.Β  Members of the Hot Shots have won gold medals at the World Jump Rope Championship, appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and represented the sport of jump rope as AMJRF Ambassadors.Β 

For more information about the sport of jump rope, visit ijru.sport orΒ amjrf.com.

 

About the Author

Michael Aldrich

Michael Aldrich is Nashville Parent's Managing Editor and a Middle Tennessee arts writer. He and his wife, Alison, are the proud parents of 4-year-old Ezra and baby Norah.