UP, UP AND AWAY UP THERE! DEWEY'S CJ JONES SOARS TO 1st place IN JR. OLYMPIC HEPTATHLON high jump
Dewey High School’s CJ Jones won first place in the high jump event (5-feet-7) in the women’s 17-18 heptathlon at the USATF National Junior Olympics Track & Field Meet in Georgia last week.
Photo provided
CJ Jones participates in the USATF National Junior Olympics Track & Field Meet in Georgia last week.
Photo provided
By Mike Tupa
July 29, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Who needs the “Superman” movie?
If Bartlesville area residents want to follow a gravity-defying human leaping tall heights at a single bound they only have to keep track of Dewey High School cloud-puncher C.J. Jones.
And talk about your super fast track to progress. Jones — who will be a Dewey senior — began serious track competition in only her sophomore year. And, she’s already achieved national prominence.
The girl who could be nicknamed the Human Launch Pad returned after last weekend from the USATF National Junior Olympics Track & Field Meet in Georgia where she won the first place in the high jump event (5-feet-7) in the women’s 17-18 heptathlon.
The runner-up finished at 5-foot-5.
Until now, people don’t know the whole story behind Jones’ climb to golden glory.
“My first event that day was the hurdles,” she explained. “I took a really big fall.”
Despite the nasty scrapes and the disappointing finish, Jones recovered in super-quick time.
“That (the fall) gave me motivation to win the next event and keep me going,” she explained.
And that’s what she did, rising to first place in the high jump.
Not even the immense stage — a Junior Olympics national — concerned Jones.
“Definitely all the people,” she said about what she enjoyed most about the four-or-five-day competition. “Just competing against all these girls across the nation and just meeting them … was amazing. … It’s definitely cool to look back at. When someone is in the moment you don’t realize how big it is. I love it there. I hope I can get there next year.”
Among her other best finishes in the heptathlon she came in 13th in the long jump (16-1) and 16th in the 200m dash (:26.88). She also competed in the heptathlon in the shot put and 100m hurdles, and in the individual high jump.
“She did really good,” said her mother Becky Lee. “She didn’t know she’d be a track star until last year. She’s naturally athletic.”
Jones has gone through some “rigorous training,” her mother added.
It’s not enough to be a good athlete to succeed in track. An athlete also has to work on gaining the technique, Becky added.
C.J. trains at Locust Grove and Pittsburg (Kan.) State, she added.
C.J. already has cleared the bar at 5-foot-8 — which she did during last spring’s Bartlesville track meet. She wants to fly even higher.
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CJ Jones at the USATF National Junior Olympics Track & Field Meet in Georgia last week.
Photo provided
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Jones — who also excels in volleyball and girls basketball for the Lady Doggers — turned in last May for Dewey a big effort at the Class 3A state meet, bringing home the silver medal in the girls’ high jump (5-6). In her sophomore season she also came in second in the girls high jump, at the same height.
In addition, Jones also competed in the 2025 state track meet in the girls 400m dash (missing by just two places of going to the finals) and the girls’ long jump.
Less than two weeks following the state meet, Jones pulled off a major coup by winning the girls high jump gold at the Meet of Champions.
“She’s a good athlete all the way around,” Becky summarized.
In fact, Jones is contemplating switching to hurdles’ competition the next high school season, in addition to presumably continuing with the high jump.
She added she’s looking forward to being coached in the hurdles by veteran Dewey track coach Dan Close, who has earned the reputation the past quarter-century as a hurdles’ guru after developing numerous gold medalists at Dewey.
Meanwhile, Jones still has a volleyball season coming up in August, followed by girls basketball.
“I love volleyball,” said Jones, who is penciled in at middle blocker. “We have a really good team. … It’s definitely a very fun sport. I love being with all my teammates. It’s an amazing sport to watch.”
Jones also looks forward with anticipation to the basketball season followed by track.
“I’m excited for it to be my senior year,” she said.
Sounds like a super good attitude.
NOTE: Other Dewey runners excelled at the Meet of Champions. Kavery Weathers surged to first in the boys 300m hurdles (:40.12), outlasting a Broken Arrow athlete. Londyn Bond and Kyla Overton finished second and third, respectively, in the girls shot put (42-4.5 and 40-6.5). Overton came in seventh in the girls discus (115-1) followed by teammate Lacey Nichols (114-3). … Current Dewey head track coach Dan Close was also Becky’s teacher in high school.