Robert Howard was an American world-class triple and long jumper and a nine-time National Collegiate Athletic Association collegiate champion.
Education
Howard graduated from Shea High School in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 1994. His top triple jump while competing in the high school ranks was 51-5.75 (1569m). He received the Tom Doherty Memorial Award as the state"s male athlete of the year.
Career
In choosing a college, Howard elected to follow in the lengthy horizontal jumping tradition at the University of Arkansas, where he would follow in the footsteps of such luminary jumpers as Mike Conley, Senior, Edrick Floreal, Jérôme Romain, Brian Wellman and Erick Walder. Howard competed at the 1997 World University Games, finishing third in the triple jump. In 1997, he was named Collegiate Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News magazine for winning all four jumps in the two National Collegiate Athletic Association championship competitions.
All of Howard’s personal records were set while he was a collegian: Howard graduated from the university in 1998 with a bachelor"s degree in pre-medicine/microbiology.
In 1999, Howard missed the majority of the season with an injury. Howard qualified for the United States Olympic team in the triple jump twice, making the finals in both Atlanta and Sydney.
He finished seventh in 1996 and eighth in 2000. His best finish in USATF competitions was a second in the triple jump in 2001.
Admitted to medical school in 1999, Howard worked in his jumping around his schooling, studying at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to be a neurosurgeon.
He had deferred his medical studies for one year to train for the 2000 Olympics and again for the 2004 Olympics. He finished fifth in the 2004 Olympic Trials, falling short in his attempt to make the Olympic team for the third time. During his career, Howard was ranked among the top jumpers in the United States by Track and Field News.
Police found Mitchell dead in the couple’s bed with multiple stab wounds.