Olympian Conquers The High Jump In Power Rangers Costume

Even the most gifted of athletes sometimes need an added edge, and in one Olympian’s case, that edge came in the form of the Power Rangers.

Olympian Inika McPherson decided to rock a Power Rangers costume during the Drake Relays last week, especially the suit of the Black Ranger. McPherson went all out, even wearing the mask during her high jump, but she did say later that she had a hard time seeing the bar through the full mask and had a harder time breathing, so she took the mask off in later rounds (via NBC Sports).

“Every time I teach kids, I tell them to get an alter ego, think of a super hero they really like,” McPherson told media. “I grew up watching Power Rangers. I always wanted to have something to say, hey, thank you. I tell kids, you can’t be the same person you are at home when you’re just so, like, hella-cool. You’ve got to be your alter ego.”

It came down to either the Black or Pink Ranger for McPherson, though she chose the Black Ranger for his leadership qualities. They did not, however, let her use the Power Axe in the competition, though you can probably understand why.

“My girl @lizp00 Cali stand up love this chick let’s eat this season #muchlove #highjumpsquad”

McPherson ended up taking runner-up to her Rio teammate Vashti Cunningham. McPherson cleared 1.91 meters and missed three attempts at 1.94, but this might not be the last we see of the costume. She said she might bring the costume with her once again in the USATF Outdoor Championships, which take place in Des Moines in June.

The original Black Ranger is Zack Taylor, played by Walter Jones. Jones would play the character until later in season 2. Taylor left the show in season 2, but has always kept a good relationship with the brand and has appeared in various Power Rangers related projects over the years.