The high jump, as much as any event in track and field, is about confidence.
That usually goes hand-in-hand with health and for the first part of his UTEP career, Jakub Belik didn't have that.
His 2022 season was hampered by injuries, first to his hamstring, then to his calf and the Czechian high jumper was a shell of the dynamic athlete the Miners recruited.
Belik needed time, which UTEP was willing to give him. Now comes the payout: Belik is headed to the national championships in Austin on the best run of form in his life, with four consecutive meets where he has cleared 6-feet, 11 1/2 inches or better under his belt.