July 22, 2010

By Eric Trainer, Associate Director of Media Relations

MONCTON, Canada -- With his first football season at Tennessee rapidly approaching, Justin Hunter understandably has been training this summer with the gridiron in mind. Despite his focus on that sport, the UT signee still was able to scratch out a sixth-place finish in the long jump Wednesday night at the IAAF World Junior Track & Field Championships at Stade Moncton 2010.

Hunter, who is slated to play wide receiver for the Big Orange during the fall and compete for the track & field team during the spring, carded a leap of 24 feet, 6 1/4 inches (7.47m) to wind up his first international competition in sixth place. South Africa's Luvo Manyonga captured the gold medal with a jump of 26-2 3/4 (7.99), while Eusebio Cáceres of Spain (25-11 / 7.90m) earned the silver and Canada's Taylor Stewart (25-5 1/2 / 7.63m) nabbed the bronze in front his countrymen.

Hunter, who entered the meet ranked sixth in the field as the U.S junior champion and owner of the top U.S. prep jump this season at 25-10 3/4 (7.89m), admitted that he wasn't as dialed in as he might have been during track & field season.

"The crowd on that side of the stadium was pumping everyone up, but I just couldn't get in my rhythm," Hunter said. "I just got off a few weeks of football training, so I am not track sharp."