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Three steps, for most of us, is the distance between the fridge and the cupboard while rummaging for yet another commercial-break snack. But St. Mary’s High track standout Solomon Welch stretches those three steps out a bit. 

Last weekend at the Arcadia Invitational, Welch beat all comers in the triple-jump while setting a new personal record: 48’01.25”. Welch, who has given a verbal commitment to jump for Stanford University next year, remains unbeaten in the event this year. 

Forty-eight feet. Consider this: in three steps, Solomon Welch earns 16 yards - a first down and a half on a football field. He can jump the distance from the free-throw line to the rim easily – three times in a row. Three steps out of the batter’s box, Solomon Welch is a little over halfway to first base. 

Welch’s next three steps could take him anywhere. 

Step one is St. Mary’s, where he is currently putting the finishing touches on a remarkable prep career. Step two is Stanford. And, if all goes according to Welch’s plan, the third step might be the 2008 Summer Olympics. 

“If I jump well at Stanford, and continue to jump well,” Welch says, “then I plan to make it.” 

Plainly stated. But Welch will have to tack on another nine feet to his current personal best (Welch believes he will have to jump 56 or 57 feet) in order to have a shot at the Olympics. In the past two years, Welch has added less than two inches to his triple-jump – his previous best was 47’11.75’’, which he set as a sophomore. Does 55-plus-feet seem impossible? 

“Not really,” says Welch. “I’ve seen the college workouts before, the effort that they put in - if I do that then I should see some positive results.” 

For Welch, it seems possible. He has plenty of people pulling for him. Teammate Kamaiya Warren, an all-state thrower in discus and shot put (she heaves the shot almost as far as Welch can triple-jump), is ebullient when asked about her longtime teammate.  

“Oh joy,” says Warren. “He is funny, and really sweet too, and really smart. I think he’s going to do well – studying, practicing - maybe he’ll even have a social life in there somewhere.” 

Welch, hampered last year by the pelvic bone he broke his sophomore year at the California state meet, believes that he is only now returning to form. He looks forward to learning from Stanford coach Edrick Floreal, and denies accounts that he is holding out on signing a letter of intent to Stanford in hopes of a better scholarship offer. 

“I’m not waiting to see if I can jump farther to see if I can get more money,” he says. “I’m just waiting.” 

Maybe that doesn’t make sense, especially in light of the verbal commitment. But the way he talks about his future at Stanford, it’s easy to believe him. Aside from an athletic career to include the triple jump, long jump, and the 110-meter hurdles, Welch is excited about the academic opportunities offered at Stanford. Son of a best-selling East Bay author, Welch is an outstanding student and intends to study music production and business. 

Welch currently pursues his passion for music with his friend Aaron Brown – together they have formed the fledgling S.W.A.B. (Solomon Welch and Aaron Brown) Productions. 

“Right now we mostly just do house parties,” says Welch. “We’ve been having some computer problems that are keeping us from recording. Eventually I want to own my own record company and be a music producer, in addition to being a professional athlete,” Welch says. 

Lofty goals. Stanford, hip-hop, professional athletics - right now all dreams are believable. For Solomon Welch, even the Olympics are only a hop, skip, and a jump away.