MileSplitCA filmed a workout with Malcolm Clemons last winter as part of a series of workout videos with returning CIF-State Meet Champions. Only a couple days after this was filmed, Clemons was injured while competing in an indoor meet at the University of Washington. That injury derailed the better part of his junior season. Clemons announced on Friday that he had transferred from his school in Berkeley to IMG Academy in Florida.
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Malcolm Clemons, CIF-State long jump champion as a sophomore at St. Mary's College HS in Berkeley, said he has transferred to IMG Academy in Florida for his senior season. Clemons made the announcement in an email to MileSplitCA.
"This is an incredible opportunity for me and I am very excited about my senior year," he wrote.
Clemons won the 2018 State Meet title in the long jump -- essentially winning on his first jump and progressing farther in each of his remaining five jumps before maxing out at 25 feet, 1 inch (aided by a 2.5 meters per second wind).
Clemons subsequently felt a tweak in his leg and scratched out of the triple jump final despite jumping what remains as his PR in the event of 47-07.75 as the fifth qualifier.
Last season, as a junior, Clemons had hoped to potentially double in both the long and triple jumps all the way through the State Meet but a hamstring injury suffered at an indoor meet on Feb. 16 at the University of Washington derailed his season.
He did make it back toward the end of spring to qualify for the State Meet in both jumps. At prelims on Friday, he qualified ninth for the final in the long jump (22-03.75), but, concerned about his leg, scratched out of triple jump prelims.
Based on the 'Honest Effort' rule, Clemons would be disqualified from competing in the long jump final on Saturday if he was not able to produce a medical release in a timely manner that cleared him to compete on Saturday. According to Clemons and a meet official, the doctor's note that was provided was incorrectly dated and his appeal to compete in the long jump final was denied.
Last spring, Clemons competed in both jumps at five meets leading up to State beginning with a sweep at the Clash of the Titans on April 27. Clemons won the long jump in four of those meets and the triple twice with a high school-season best of 46-06. His season best in the long jump of 23-09.75 earned him a second consecutive North Coast Section Meet of Champions title.
"After a disappointing junior year, I reassessed my goals academically and athletically and realized that I 
needed more of a challenge," Clemons wrote in a subsequent email following his announcement. "I felt that academically the boarding experience would better prepare me for college and athletically I needed a fresh approach and new challenges. Outside of the fact that IMG is an amazing school that can provide me with incredible opportunities."
Clemons competed over the summer at the USATF Region 16 and National Junior Olympics, placing third in the long jump (23-03.25) and ninth in the triple jump (46-11).
In his freshman season, Clemons placed seventh at the State Meet in the long jump (22-10/1.2) as senior St. Mary's teammate Sanjay Kettels won the title (24-03.75/1.1).
As a sophomore, Clemons went 24-03.25 in his only jump at the Friday prelim. At the Saturday final, he opened at 24-01.25 (1.2) and climbed the ladder from there:
- 24-04 (1.1)
- 24-04.75 (2.4)
- 24-06 (2.0)
- 24-11.75 (1.5)
- 25-01 (2.5)
Runner-up Alex Enos of St. Ignatius Prep (CC) maxed out at 24-00.50 (1.9).
Clemons followed that by going 24-03.25 for second at New Balance Nationals Outdoor.
Clemons leaving California denies high school track fans of what could have been an epic 2020 final in the long jump. The top three finishers in the event at the 2019 CIF-State Meet were all juniors:
He did make it back toward the end of spring to qualify for the State Meet in both jumps. At prelims on Friday, he qualified ninth for the final in the long jump (22-03.75), but, concerned about his leg, scratched out of triple jump prelims. 
needed more of a challenge," Clemons wrote in a subsequent email following his announcement. "I felt that academically the boarding experience would better prepare me for college and athletically I needed a fresh approach and new challenges. Outside of the fact that IMG is an amazing school that can provide me with incredible opportunities."