Jaide Alexandra Stepter Baynes (born September 25, 1994) is an American track and field athlete who specializes in the 400 metres.[1]

Jaide Stepter Baynes
Stepter in 2019
Personal information
Full nameJaide Alexandra Stepter Baynes
Born (1994-09-25) September 25, 1994 (age 30)
Santa Ana, California, U.S.
Sport
SportTrack and field
Event400 metres
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  United States
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2022 Eugene 4 × 400 m relay
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2019 Lima 4 × 400 m relay

Early life

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Stepter was born to Keith and LaTanya Sheffield. Her mother, LaTanya, is a retired Olympic hurdler and her coach.[2] She attended Canyon del Oro High School in Oro Valley, Arizona. She set a state record in the 300 metres hurdles at the Chandler Rotary Invitational with a time of 42.18. She then set a personal-record and new state-record at the Arizona state championships with a time of 42.01. She won three individual state titles to help lead her team to a second-place finish at the 2012 Arizona state meet.[3] Following the season she was named the 2012 Arizona Gatorade Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year.[4]

Junior career

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She ran track and field for USC in college, where she was a nine-time All-American and set five school records in the 400m hurdles, 400m outdoor and indoor, as well as the 4 × 400 m relay in both the outdoor and indoor seasons.[3] She was a three-time Pac-12 champion in the 400m hurdles and was named the 2016 Pac-12 Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year.[5][6]

Professional career

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Stepter at the 2018 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships

Stepter competed at the 2016 United States Olympic trials in the 400 metres hurdles where she finished in seventh place in the finals with a time of 54.95.[7] She then competed at the 2016 NACAC U23 Championships in Athletics and won a silver medal in the 400 metres and a gold medal in the 4 × 400 metres relay.[8]

Stepter competed at the 2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 400 metres hurdles where she finished in seventh place with a time of 55.06.[9] She competed at the 2018 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 200 metres where she finished in sixth place in the semi-final with a time of 22.87, and ended in 11th overall in the event.[10] She again competed at the 2019 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 400 metres where she finished in sixth place in the semi-final with a time of 52.35, and ended in 12th overall in the event.[11][12]

Stepter represented the United States at the 2019 Pan American Games where she won a gold medal in the women's 4 × 400 metres relay with a time of 3:26.46.[13] She also competed in the women's 400 metres where she posted a time of 52.17 to qualify fourth overall in the semi-finals. However, she was disqualified during the finals.[14]

Stepter competed at the 2020 United States Olympic trials in the 400 metres where she finished in fifth place in the semi-finals with a time of 51.77.[15]

Stepter competed at the 2022 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 400 metres, where she finished in seventh place with a time of 51.30.[16] She then represented the United States at the 2022 World Athletics Championships and won a gold medal in the women's 4 × 400 metres relay. She competed in the preliminary heats and her team finished with a season's best time of 3:23.38.[17]

Coaching career

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Stepter served as a volunteer assistant track and field coach for Long Beach State during the 2018 season. On October 14, 2019, she was promoted to Director of Operations for the track and field team at Long Beach State.[18]

Competition record

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Representing the   United States
Year Competition Venue Position Event Time
2016 NACAC U23 Championships San Salvador, El Salvador 2nd 400 m 52.51
1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:28.45
2017 World Relays Nassau, Bahamas 2nd 4 × 400 m mixed 3:17.29
2019 World Relays Yokohama, Japan 2nd 4 × 400 m relay 3:27.65
Pan American Games Lima, Peru 1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:26.46
2022 World Championships Eugene, Oregon 1st (h) 4 × 400 m relay 3:17.79
NACAC Championships Freeport, Bahamas 1st 4 × 400 m relay 3:23.54

References

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  1. ^ "Jaide Stepter". teamusa.org. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  2. ^ "3 Lessons Olympic Hopeful Jaide Stepter Baynes Learned From Her Olympian Mother". wellandgood.com. June 24, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Jaide Stepter". usctrojans.com. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  4. ^ "Stepter Named Arizona's Gatorade Girls Track & Field Athlete Of The Year". usctrojans.com. August 20, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  5. ^ "Stepter Named Pac-12 Women's T&F Scholar-Athlete Of The Year". usctrojans.com. May 14, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  6. ^ "November 2015 Student Spotlight – Jaide Stepter". USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. November 2, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  7. ^ Kelly, David (July 11, 2016). "Stepter finishes 7th at Olympic trials". kold.com. KOLD-TV. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  8. ^ "2016 NACAC U23 Championships Results". milesplit.com. July 17, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  9. ^ "Muhammad & Harris Win Titles At USA Track & Field Championships". usctrojans.com. June 25, 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  10. ^ "Cockrell 5th In 400m Hurdles & Ford 6th In 800m at USATF Championships". usctrojans.com. June 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  11. ^ "USC To Be Well Represented At The 2019 USATF Outdoor Championships". usctrojans.com. July 24, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  12. ^ "McCullough Win USATF Hammer Throw Title, Terry 5th In 100m Dash". usctrojans.com. July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  13. ^ "Former CDO runner Jaide Stepter strikes Gold at the Pan American Games". allsportstucson.com. August 13, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  14. ^ "Brissett & Cockrell Earn Individual Silver Medals At PanAm Games In Peru". usctrojans.com. August 11, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  15. ^ "Jewett, Norman, Ellis & Felix Advance To Finals At U.S. Olympic Team Trials". usctrojans.com. June 19, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  16. ^ "USC's Michael Norman, Kendall Ellis Earns Spots On Team USA At USATF Championships". usctrojans.com. June 25, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  17. ^ "USC Athletes Earn 11 Medals At The World Championships, Would Have Finished 2nd If Competed As A Country". usctrojans.com. July 24, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  18. ^ Harris, Hollie (October 14, 2019). "Jaide Stepter Earns Promotion To Director Of Operations". longbeachstate.com. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
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