Nate’s big leap brings honours

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 4 April 2018

Wingate University track and field senior triple jumper Nathanael ‘Nate’ Patterson has been named the AstroTurf South Atlantic Conference (SAC) men’s track Field Athlete of the Week. The athlete from the Cayman Islands received the distinction for the first time this outdoor season and the third time in his outdoor career.

Patterson had a huge day in the final home meet of his Wingate career against Tiffin (Ohio) on 30 April. The four-time All-American had an NCAA Division II automatic qualifying mark and winning leap of 15.65 meters in the triple jump, tying his personal best. This mark currently places him number four in the NCAA Division II and number one in the Southeast Region. It also narrowly missed the Cayman Islands national record.

“[I’m] very pleased with my opener knowing the place we are in with training. Finished up the weekend top 5 triple jumper in the country, hitting the automatic standard for Nationals in May,” Patterson told CaymanSportsBuzz.com via text.

“Nate had a big weekend,” said Wingate head track and field coach Travis LeFlore. “Hitting the automatic qualifying mark was one of the goals we set for his final year and he achieved it. He’s putting himself in position for a memorable senior year.”
Two-time national champion Tiffin defeated Wingate 81-47 in the dual meet.

During the 2018 indoor season, Patterson earned first team All-American honours in the men’s triple jump. He posted a mark of 15.35 meters at the NCAA championship meet in Pittsburg, Kansas. Patterson collected a SAC indoor gold medal with his triple jump of 14.89 meters. He made the All-Southeast Region team in the indoor men’s triple jump for the fourth consecutive year.