Kris Stephens of Bethel High School earns state championship in long jump

Congratulations to Kris Stephens, senior at Bethel High School, who has earned the state championship in boys indoor track in the long jump. He is a 6’ 4” high jumper and 22’ 6” long jumper, who’s talent earned him his third state title as the VHSL Class 5 2024 Indoor State Long Jump Champion.

In addition, Kris broke Bethel’s indoor triple jump record with his jump of 46-11.75, although his career best is 47 feet even! This school record had been standing for the last 21 years. He is a four-time region champion as well as the three-time state champion with less than two years as a high school track athlete.

Kris, an honor roll student who will graduate with highest honors, has college interests and potential scholarship offers from schools such as Hampton University, Norfolk State University, Western Carolina University, Virginia Military Institute, and Virginia Union University. He has postsecondary aspirations of being a collegiate athlete to pursue a career in cybersecurity, majoring in computer science. 

Bethel’s track & field head coach, Nanette Gaines, says this about Kris, “He possesses an undeniable talent that is evident to all who have ever had a chance to witness it. As a young athlete, he exhibits a potential that is yet to be fully realized. With dedicated training, mentorship, and perseverance, Kris has the capacity to ascend to great heights in this sport and he would be an asset to anyone’s collegiate program. He has a promising future ahead of him and with continued support and guidance, he is poised to exceed even his own expectations and leave a mark in the world of track and field.”