When Mouhamed Seck sprinted down the runway at the Tennova Farragut East Tennessee Jamboree this February, he wasn’t just chasing a win; he was chasing history.
With a final explosive bound of 45 feet, 4.5 inches, the Bearden junior officially etched his name into the record books, shattering a longstanding school mark and signaling a new era for the Bulldogs’ jumps program.
For Seck, the moment of impact was instantaneous. While spectators waited for the officials to pull the tape, the athlete already knew he had achieved something special.
“I felt like it was ‘the one’ when I left the board,” Seck said. “My first jump was good, the second was great.
“My coach told me to put more speed on the buildup, and once I left the board, it was like I flew.”
That flight was the culmination of a staggering transformation. Between the 2025 and 2026 seasons, Seck added more than four feet to his personal record, a margin of improvement rarely seen at the elite high school level. While many athletes credit physical gains in the weight room for such leaps, Seck attributes his success to a more cerebral approach.
“It was a shift in mindset,” Seck said. “I’ve been watching more films and critiquing my technique.
“Film holds a lot of weight in track and field.”
Bearden jumps coach Matthew Eckert echoed that sentiment, noting that Seck’s sudden ascent was fueled by a disciplined study of the event’s complex mechanics. In the triple jump – a grueling sequence of a hop, a step, and a jump – even a minor technical flaw can result in lost yardage.
“It’s mainly his study of the triple jump,” Coach Eckert said. “Technique is the biggest factor in increasing distance, and Mouhamed’s consistency has definitely helped.”
The achievement carries a personal weight for Seck beyond the school record. By reaching the top of the leaderboards, he also secured family bragging rights, as his brothers also participated in Bearden athletics.
“It’s almost fake to me,” Seck said. ‘It’s weird to see my name in the history books, knowing it could stand for many years after me.”
“Being at the top is something I’m very proud of, and beating my older brothers feels great.”
However, both athlete and coach are careful not to let the early-season success lead to complacency. With the TSSAA State Championships approaching (May 21), the focus has shifted from breaking records to maintaining peak performance. Coach Eckert’s strategy involves keeping Seck consistently above the 40-foot mark at every meet while remaining vigilant for signs of fatigue.
“We have to stay prepared for any sort of decline in distance to ensure recovery,” Coach Eckert said.
Beyond his individual accolades, Seck’s presence has transformed the culture of the Bearden track team. As a captain, his record breaking leap has served as a blueprint for younger athletes on the squad.
“He helps raise the standard for others,” Coach Eckert said. “He keeps the younger guys eager to improve.”
As the postseason approaches, Seck is prioritizing his mental game and recovery to ensure he peaks when the stakes are highest.
Seck currently holds the 5th spot in TSSAA triple jump rankings hoping to close out a strong start to the season.
His formula for the state title is simple: “Making sure I don’t get in my head, keeping my confidence up, and recovering every step of the way.