Edmonton Journal - May 16/07- Nick Lees

Top ranked athlete loves
his Sour Patch Kids

Edmonton high jumper Jesse Lipscombe has a sweet secret that might help carry him to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

He cleared the bar at 2.26 metres Saturday to win an international meet in the Dominican Republic and equal the sixth highest jump in the world this year.

“I wobbled the bar twice at 2.30 and it fell,” says the six-feet-four-inch-tall athlete, who is ranked No. 1 in Canada.

“My training is maybe even ahead of schedule. I get real hyper at meets.

“It could have something to do with the candy I bring.”

Lipscombe, the grandson of U.S.-born Rollie Miles, the late Edmonton Eskimo Hall of Famer, is pretty well addicted to Sour Patch Kids.

They are a chewy candy with a coating of sour sugar and come in packs with four flavours: red, orange, yellow and green. They are a staple for many moviegoers.

“Jesse loves them,” says his wife, Global broadcaster Shannon Tyler.

“He missed breakfast this morning and I took a bag to him at the gym along with his water.”

Lipscombe has been chewing the candies for years and munches on them during warmups and between jumps.

“I always carry them to meets in outof-the-way places to make sure I have a supply,” he says. “I grab the biggest bag I can find.” But he has a word for you athletes. “Eating too many Sour Kids isn’t the best advice,” he ways. “You could end up with a sugar crash and lack energy.”

Lipscombe hopes to better his performance in Eugene, Org., next week and then be invited to compete in the June 10 Prefontaine Classic, again in Eugene.

The Prefontaine Classic is televised live on NBC and the winning jumper earns $5,000. Fourth place takes $1,000.

Money is important to Lipscombe, who has come out of retirement after a nudge from his wife and must pay his own way.

After he jokingly suggested Sour Patch Kids, owned by Cadbury Schweppes, might become a sponsor in his Beijing podium bid, I called the company’s office in Texas.

It was late in the day, I guess, but the woman I spoke with didn’t understand my proposition. The good news is that Sour Patch products are manufactured by a subsidiary in Hamilton, Ont.

Canadian sugar prices are among the lowest in the world and Hamilton offers quick access to the U.S.

If Lipscombe places in Eugene, I’ll call again. Seems like a good fit?

It probably helps that Lipscome’s a movie star. He can be seen next month in Resurrecting The Champ, along with Samuel L. Jackson and Josh Hartnett.

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