Hooker off to big jump in outdoor season

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas’ Marshevet Hooker made some big leaps into the new outdoor track and field season.

The runner-up at the NCAA indoor championships last month, Hooker set a Texas Relays record Friday with a jump of 21 feet, 10 inches, breaking the previous mark of 21-5 1/2 set by Texas’ Kim McGruder in 1997.

The winning mark came on her second jump on a clear, sunny day at one of the first major outdoor meets in the country. She seemed ready to go even farther, but Texas coach Bev Kearney cut her off after her third attempt.

Hooker said Kearney told her to back off because she still has plenty of work to do at the meet in other events.