The Brightside: UMES triple jumper Faithlyn Irving leaves a record-breaking legacy
SALISBURY, Md. — For one University of Maryland Eastern Shore high jumper, the final landing has arrived.
The hawk spoke about her athletic journey on the newest edition of “The Brightside,” brought to you by Choptank Electric Cooperative.
Faithlynn Irving, a high-flying Hawk for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, wrapped up her college career after repeatedly breaking her own indoor triple jump record and leaving a mark on the program.
She takes us back to where it all started… Jamaica.
“I think when I was in Class Two, I was around 15 or 16,” Irving said. “My coach told me one day that I should try the triple jump event. At first, I was not interested because I used to watch the event and see the pounding, and it looked hard — because it is hard.”
Even from a young age, Irving took a leap of faith.
“I was like, ‘Oh, I never back down from a challenge anyway,’” she added. “We have the national championship in Jamaica that our high school students attend. I went to that and made it to the finals. I finished sixth twice there.”
Her success didn’t stop there. In fact, she spent two years raising the bar at Cloud County Community College in Kansas before transferring to UMES.
“I started competing in the 2023 outdoor season,” Irving said. “I did the high jump and the triple jump, and I finished third. I think I got bronze medals at the MEAC championships in the high jump and triple jump.”
Those performances, among many others, cemented her place as one of the program’s best.
“You set your goals and believe they’re going to come true,” she said. “But when they actually do, it’s just an astonishing moment. Sometimes I’m surprised when it finally happens.”
While clearing new heights, she ended her career by breaking her own record with a leap of 12.99 meters (about 42 feet, 7 inches) in the triple jump.
“I’m feeling good, but I’m also a little nostalgic because I do miss it,” Irving said. “But I’m also glad I was able to finish the way I did.”
As she looks back on her career, an injury in high school almost led her to quit — but she didn’t.
When asked what she would say to her younger self, Irving said: “I’m so glad you didn’t give up. I’m so glad you kept pushing despite the adversities and the challenges that came up. You kept going, and I’m very proud of you.”
Irving is proof that the biggest achievements aren’t the heights you reach, but the legacy you leave behind.
“Believe in yourself first,” she said. “Don’t wait on anyone else. Most importantly, have a relationship with God, because that has been the guiding force for me.”
Irving has not yet decided whether her athletic career will continue.
“At this moment, it’s still a question mark for me,” she said. “So, I’m just going to see how it goes right now.”
She was also honored as UMES Female Athlete of the Year in 2025 and UMES Academic Student-Athlete of the Year in 2025.
