View source for Tora Harris

{{Short description|American high jumper}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox NCAA athlete
| color = orange; border: 2px solid black
| fontcolor = black
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| name = Tora Harris
| college = [[Princeton University|Princeton]]
| conference = [[Ivy League|Ivy]]
| sport = [[Track and field]]
| jersey =
| position =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 183
| class = 2002
| major =
| minor =
| career_start = 1998
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|9|21}}
| birth_place = [[College Park, Georgia]], U.S.
| highschool = [[South Atlanta High School]]
| former_school(s) =
| career_highlights = Y
| awards =
| honors =
* 2004 Olympian
* 4x [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] [[high jump]] outdoor All-American ([[1998 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships|1998]], [[1999 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships|1999]], [[2001 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships|2001]], & [[2002 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships|2002]])
* NCAA [[high jump]] indoor All-American ([[2002 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships|2002]])
* 2002 & 2006 #1 ranked American high jumper
| records =
* [[Ivy League]] indoor high jump:{{convert|7|ft|3.25|in|m|2}}
* [[Ivy League]] outdoor high jump:({{convert|7|ft|7|in|m|2}})
| championships = y
| championship_list =
;U.S. Nationals
* 2005 & 2007 indoor high jump champion
* 2006 & 2009 outdoor high jump champion

;NCAA
* 2002 indoor high jump champion ([[2002 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships|2002]])
* 2002 outdoor high jump champion ([[2002 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships|2002]])

;Ivy League/Heptagonal
* 4x indoor high jump champion
* 4x outdoor high jump champion
*
| tournaments =
| tournament_list =
| medaltemplates-expand = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's [[athletics (sport)|athletics]]: [[high jump]] }}
{{MedalCountry | the {{flagicon|USA}} [[United States national athletics team|United States]] }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Universiade]] }}
{{MedalBronze | [[2001 Summer Universiade|2001 Beijing]] | [[Athletics at the 2001 Summer Universiade|High jump]] }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[IAAF World Cup]] }}
{{MedalBronze | [[2006 IAAF World Cup|2006 Athens]] | [[2006 IAAF World Cup results#High jump|High jump]] }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[USA Indoor Track and Field Championships|USA Indoor Championships]] }}
{{MedalSilver | 2003 Boston | High jump }}
{{MedalSilver | 2004 | High jump }}
{{MedalGold | 2005 Boston | High jump }}
{{MedalSilver | 2006 Boston | High jump }}
{{MedalGold | 2007 Boston | High jump }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships|USA Outdoor Championships]] }}
{{MedalBronze | [[2004 United States Olympic Trials (track and field)|2004 Sacramento]] | High jump }}
{{MedalGold | [[2006 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships|2006 Indianapolis]] | High jump }}
{{MedalGold | [[2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships|2009 Eugene]] | High jump }}
{{MedalSilver | [[2010 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships|2010 Des Moines]] | High jump }}

{{MedalCountry |[[File:Princeton Tigers logo.svg|20px]][[Princeton Tigers]]/[[Ivy League]]}} 
{{MedalCompetition | [[NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships|NCAA Outdoor Championships]] }}
[[File:NCAA logo.svg|center|40px]]
{{MedalGold|[[2002 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships|2002  Baton Rouge]] |high jump}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[NCAA Division I Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships|NCAA Indoor Championships]] }}
[[File:NCAA logo.svg|center|40px]]
{{MedalGold|[[2002 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships|2002  Fayetteville]] |high jump}}
{{MedalCount|type=By race|total=yes
|[[NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships – Men's high jump|outdoor high jump]]|1|0|0
|[[NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships – Men's high jump|indoor high jump]]|1|0|0
}}
{{MedalCount
|[[NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships|NCAA Outdoor Championships]]|1|0|0
|[[NCAA Division I Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships|NCAA Indoor Championships]]|1|0|0
|'''Total'''|'''2'''|'''0'''|'''0'''
}}
}}

'''Tora Lian-Juin Harris'''<ref name=TAFAPSIStBH /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://theprince.princeton.edu/princetonperiodicals/?a=d&d=Princetonian20020515-01.2.26&srpos=1&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-tora+harris%2c+stabler------ |title=Senior high jumper Harris climbs the world rankings with Heps performance |work=[[The Daily Princetonian]] |first=Penn |last=Stabler |date=May 15, 2002 |access-date=March 3, 2015}}</ref> (born September 21, 1978) is an American [[high jump]]er. He is a [[Princeton University]] [[engineer]] of [[Taiwanese people|Taiwanese]] and [[African-American]] descent. Harris is an Olympian, a four-time national champion and two-time bronze medalist in international competition. He represented Team USA twice in the [[IAAF World Championships in Athletics]], three times in the [[IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics]] and has served as a representative once in the [[IAAF Continental Cup]]. He spent two years as the No. 1 ranked high jumper in the United States.

In college, Harris was a five-time [[All-American]], while earning the two individual (2002 indoor and outdoor) [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] (NCAA) championships. He also represented Team USA at one [[Universiade|World University Games]]. He is both the Ivy League indoor and outdoor high jump record holder and Princeton's only two-time NCAA individual event track and field champion. He is an eight-time individual Ivy League/Heptagonal champion, winning the indoor and outdoor high jump championships four times each.

==Early life==
Harris was born in [[College Park, Georgia]].<ref>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ha/tora-harris-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418113757/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ha/tora-harris-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 18, 2020 |title=Tora Harris |access-date=March 3, 2015}}</ref> His mother, Susan (Su-Chen),<ref name=TAFAPSIStBH /> is [[Taiwanese American|Taiwanese]]. His father, Tommie Lee Harris (1934–1999), was African American.<ref name=TAFAPSIStBH /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/display/20132014/SR/1150 |title=Senate Resolution 1150 |publisher=[[Georgia State Senate]] |date=March 5, 2014 |access-date=March 3, 2015}}</ref> His parents made him take [[Chinese language|Chinese]] lessons when he was young,<ref name=TAFAPSIStBH /> and he now speaks the language fluently.<ref name=THB>{{cite web |url=http://www.usatf.org/Athlete-Bios/Archive-Bios/Tora-Harris.aspx |title=Tora Harris (Bio) |access-date=2012-07-24 |publisher=[[USA Track & Field]]}}</ref>  He attended first grade in Taiwan, where he was introduced to jumping.<ref name=TAFAPSIStBH>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/07/sports/track-and-field-a-princeton-senior-is-setting-the-bar-higher.html |title=Track and Field; A Princeton Senior Is Setting the Bar Higher |access-date=2012-07-24 |date=2002-05-07 |work=[[The New York Times]] |author=Hollander, Sophia}}</ref> Harris high jumped {{convert|7|ft|m|2}} in high school.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ga.milesplit.com/articles/8428 |title=Georgia's All Time Honor Roll updated through 2005! |publisher=MileSplit |year=2005 |access-date=2012-11-23 |author=Yike, Jim}}</ref> He placed second in the 1997 [[Georgia High School Association]] Class AAA high jump championships.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ghsa.net/sites/default/files/documents/Constitution/GHSA_RR_1996-1997.pdf |title=Georgia High School Association |page=195 |publisher=[[Georgia High School Association]] |access-date=2012-11-23}}</ref> Harris is a 1997 alumnus of [[South Atlanta High School]] and was a member of [[Princeton University]]'s graduating class of 2002.<ref name=THB /> Harris studied [[Mechanical engineering|mechanical]] and [[aerospace engineering]] at Princeton.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://usatelitetrack.org/dhac/?page_id=230 |title=Tora Harris |access-date=2012-07-24 |publisher=U.S. Athletic Trust}}</ref>

==College career==
While at Princeton, Harris excelled at intercollegiate athletics. Harris was a four-time NCAA Outdoor Track & Field All-American placing 7th, 5th, 4th and 1st in 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002, respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46877&SPID=4268&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=738572 |title=Tora Harris Earns All-America In High Jump |access-date=2012-11-23 |date=2002-06-01 |publisher=Princeton Athletic Communications}}</ref><ref name=Hit2NOHJC>{{cite web |url=http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46877&SPID=4268&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=738543 |title=Harris is the 2002 NCAA Outdoor High Jump Champion |access-date=2012-11-23 |date=2002-03-08 |publisher=Princeton Athletic Communications}}</ref> He also was an NCAA Indoor All-American in 2002 when he placed 1st at the NCAA Championships.<ref name=THB /><ref name=THER /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46877&SPID=4268&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=738187 |title=Tora Harris – the Nation's Best |access-date=2012-11-23 |date=2002-03-08 |publisher=Princeton Athletic Communications}}</ref> He did not participate in intercollegiate competition in 2000 in order to prepare for the 2000 United States Olympic trials.<ref name=THER>{{cite web |url=http://www.usatf.org/Athlete-Bios/Archive-Bios/Tora-Harris.aspx |title=Tora Harris (Events & Rankings) |access-date=2012-07-24 |publisher=[[USA Track & Field]]}}</ref> He failed to make the team after finishing seventh at the Olympic trials.<ref name=TAFAPSIStBH />

He won the indoor heptagonal championships in 2001, tying an Ivy League indoor record ({{convert|7|ft|3.25|in|m|2}}) that still stood as of 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/sports/mtrack-ind/2011-12/files/ITF_All-Time_Records-Men.pdf |title=The Ivy League Record Books 2011–12 |access-date=2012-11-23 |publisher=IvyLeagueSports.com}}</ref><ref name=MTAFWFCHT>{{cite web |url=http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46877&SPID=4268&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=738158 |title=Men's Track and Field Wins Fourth Consecutive Heps Title |access-date=2012-11-23 |date=2001-02-25 |publisher=Princeton Athletic Communications}}</ref> He won the 2001 outdoor Heptagonal championships with a record jump of {{convert|7|ft|5.25|in|m|2}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hepstrack.com/championships/outdoor-heps/mens-outdoor-recordbook/outdoor-heps-mens-top-10/ |title=Meet Top 10 |access-date=2012-11-23 |publisher=HepsTrack.com}}</ref><ref name=PMPSWEaOHC /> That year he was the Indoor Heptagonal Championships Most Outstanding Performer and Outdoor Heptagonal Championships Most Outstanding Performer as well as the Mid-Atlantic Region Male Indoor Athlete of the Year as selected by the United States Track Coaches Association.<ref name=MTAFWFCHT /><ref name=PMPSWEaOHC>{{cite web |url=http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46877&SPID=4268&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=738561 |title=Princeton's Men Place Second, Women Eighth at Outdoor Heptagonal Championships |access-date=2012-11-23 |date=2001-05-05 |publisher=Princeton Athletic Communications}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46877&SPID=4268&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=738183 |title=Tora Harris Named Mid-Atlantic Male Indoor Athlete of the Year |access-date=2012-11-23 |date=2001-03-04 |publisher=Princeton Athletic Communications}}</ref> He won a bronze medal at the [[2001 Summer Universiade|2001 World University Games]].<ref name=BHTU /> His 2002 outdoor Heptagonal championships performance of {{convert|7|ft|7|in|m|2}} continues to be an Ivy League outdoor record.<ref name=TMAOTD2>{{cite web |url=http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=204863015 |title=Top Male Athletes Of The Decade: No. 2 Tora Harris '02 |access-date=2012-11-23 |date=2009-12-29 |publisher=Princeton Athletic Communications}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://hepstrack.com/championships/outdoor-heps/mens-outdoor-recordbook/mens-outdoor-heps-all-time-marks/ |title=All-Time Marks |access-date=2012-11-23 |publisher=HepsTrack.com}}</ref><ref name=THSNHMaPFSaH>{{cite web |url=http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46877&SPID=4268&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=738528 |title=Tora Harris Sets Nation's High Mark as Princeton Finishes Second at HEPS |access-date=2012-11-23 |date=2002-05-11 |publisher=Princeton Athletic Communications}}</ref>

Harris concluded his collegiate career with a total of eight Ivy League/Heptagonal individual championships.<ref name=THSNHMaPFSaH /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46877&SPID=4268&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=738157 |title=Men's Track and Field Captures Fifth Consecutive Indoor HEPs Title |access-date=2012-11-23 |date=2002-02-24 |publisher=Princeton Athletic Communications}}</ref> He was also both the NCAA indoor and outdoor champion in 2002.<ref name=BHTU>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/letter=0/athcode=139197/index.html |title=Biographies: Harris Tora USA |access-date=2012-07-24 |publisher=[[International Association of Athletics Federations]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/29/sports/29track.html |title=Diverse Interests, One Goal |access-date=2012-07-24 |date=2011-04-28 |work=[[The New York Times]] |author=Longman, Jere}}</ref>  By winning both the indoor and outdoor NCAA championships, he became Princeton's only two-time NCAA individual event track and field champion.<ref name=Hit2NOHJC />  He finished second to [[Yasser El Halaby]] as Princeton's Athlete of the 2000–09 Decade.<ref name=TMAOTD2 /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=204863205 |title=Top Male Athletes Of The Decade: No. 1 Yasser El Halaby '06 |access-date=2012-11-23 |date=2009-12-30 |publisher=Princeton Athletic Communications}}</ref>

==Professional career==
He was a two-time [[USA Indoor Track and Field Championships|United States National indoor champion]] (2005 and 2007)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usatf.org/events/2005/USAIndoorTFChampionships/results/F8.asp |title=2005 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships |access-date=2012-07-24 |publisher=[[USA Track & Field]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usatf.org/events/2007/USAIndoorTFChampionships/results/F8.asp |title=2007 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships |access-date=2012-07-24 |publisher=[[USA Track & Field]]}}</ref> and a two-time [[USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships|United States National outdoor champion]] (2006 and 2009).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usatf.org/events/2006/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/results/F12.asp |title=2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships |access-date=2012-07-24 |publisher=[[USA Track & Field]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usatf.org/events/2009/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/results/F23.asp |title=2009 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships |access-date=2012-07-24 |publisher=[[USA Track & Field]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usatf.org/statistics/champions/USAOutdoorTF/men/mHJ.asp |title=USA Outdoor Track & Field Champions: Men's High Jump |access-date=2012-07-24 |publisher=[[USA Track & Field]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611083809/http://www.usatf.org/statistics/champions/USAOutdoorTF/men/mHJ.asp |archive-date=June 11, 2011 }}</ref>  At the 2003 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, Harris, [[Charles Austin (high jumper)|Charles Austin]] and [[Charles Clinger]] all posted heights of {{convert|7|ft|6.5|in|m|2}}, with Austin claiming gold based on fewer misses and Harris winning a jump off for silver.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/03/sports/track-and-field-dragila-using-longer-pole-raises-the-bar-in-the-vault.html |title=Track and Field; Dragila, Using Longer Pole, Raises the Bar in the Vault |access-date=2012-07-24 |date=2003-03-03 |work=[[The New York Times]] |author=Denman, Elliott}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usatf.org/events/2003/USAIndoorTFChampionships/results/F31.asp |title=2003 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships |access-date=2012-07-24 |publisher=[[USA Track & Field]]}}</ref> On two other occasions (2006 Indoor vs. [[Adam Shunk]] at 2.25 m, and 2010 Outdoor vs. [[Jesse Williams (athlete)|Jesse Williams]] at 2.26 m)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usatf.org/events/2006/USAIndoorTFChampionships/results/F8.asp |title=2006 AT&T USA Indoor Track & Field Championships |access-date=2012-07-25 |publisher=[[USA Track & Field]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usatf.org/events/2010/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/results/F23.asp |title=2010 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships |access-date=2012-07-25 |publisher=[[USA Track & Field]]}}</ref> he earned silver medals at the US national championships despite clearing as high a height as the gold medalist.

He was a member of the [[United States at the 2004 Summer Olympics|United States team]] at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] along with high jumpers [[Matt Hemingway]] and [[Jamie Nieto]]. Harris failed to advance past the first round when he could not clear {{convert|7|ft|2.5|in|m|2}} on any of his three attempts leaving him with a best height of {{convert|7|ft|m|2}} and a [[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's high jump|17th-place finish]].<ref name=Heihj>{{cite web |url=http://jacksonsun.gannettonline.com/gns/olympics/20040820-50751.html |title=Harris eliminated in high jump |access-date=2013-03-16 |date=2004-08-20 |work=[[The Jackson Sun|Jackson Sun]] |publisher=[[Gannett]] |author=Denman, Elliott}}</ref> He represented the United States at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in both [[2003 World Championships in Athletics – Men's high jump|2003]] and [[2009 World Championships in Athletics – Men's high jump|2009]] and in the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics in [[2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's high jump|2003]], [[2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's high jump|2004]] and [[2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's high jump|2006]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/united-states/tora-harris#honours |title=Athlete Profile: Tora Harris |access-date=2013-03-16 |publisher=[[International Association of Athletics Federations]]}}</ref> He won a bronze medal at the [[2006 IAAF World Cup]].<ref name="BHTU" />

Harris was the No. 1 ranked high jumper in the United States according to ''[[Track & Field News]]'' in both 2002 and 2006 and was among the top 10 every year from 2001 through 2009.<ref name="THER" /> His personal best jump is {{convert|2.33|m|ftin|2}}, achieved in June 2006 in [[Indianapolis]].<ref name="BHTU" /> Harris trains out of his [[Chula Vista, California]], residence.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=South+Atlanta+Tora+Harris+high+jump |title=Tora Harris |access-date=2012-11-23 |publisher=[[USA Track & Field]]}}</ref>

He has developed, produced and marketed the electric ODK [[cargo bike]], under the Juiced Bikes name.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.juicedbikes.com/pages/about-us|title=Juiced Bikes &#124; America's #1 Electric Bike Company}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=About Juiced Bikes|url=https://www.electricbikeandskate.com/pages/juiced-brand-page|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Electric Bike & Skate (Red Leaf Ideas, LLC)|language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Princeton University Olympians]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{World Athletics||name=Tora Harris}}
* [http://www.usatf.org/athletes/bios/harris_tora.asp Tora Harris] at [[USATF]]
* {{SR/Olympics profile|ha/tora-harris-1}}

{{USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners in men's high jump}}
{{Footer US NC high jump Men}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 2004 Summer Olympics}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Tora}}
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American male high jumpers]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic track and field athletes for the United States]]
[[Category:Princeton Tigers men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games bronze medalists for the United States]]
[[Category:Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from College Park, Georgia]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:African-American track and field athletes]]
[[Category:American sportspeople of Taiwanese descent]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2001 Summer Universiade]]
[[Category:Princeton University School of Engineering and Applied Science alumni]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]