After undergoing season-ending surgery last year on a torn meniscus, Anat Ben Nun's '09 future as an indoor track jumper was unclear. "The doctors didn't know if I would be able to jump again. Some doctors said I could; some others said I couldn't." she said. "I decided to give it a try because [this year] is my last chance."

Ben Nun did, indeed, return from her surgery Jan. 17 and has not missed a stride since her return.

She won the triple jump in all three meets she has competed in this season: the Bowdoin Invitational Jan. 17, the Reggie Poyau Memorial Invitational at Brandeis Jan. 24 and last Saturday's Tufts Invitational.

Ben Nun not only beats her competition but truly dominates the field.

At the?Bowdoin Invitational, Ben Nun qualified for the NCAA Division III?Championships in the triple jump for the third time in her career, winning the event with a jump of 11.66 meters.

At the Tufts Invitational, Ben Nun out-jumped teammate Ali Sax '09, who took second place in the event, by .31 meters.

Sax said the team has benefited from Ben Nun's experience and knowledge of the sport.

"She is very good to have [on the team] because she is very knowledgeable about the jump," Sax said. "Just to have her around is very helpful."

Ben Nun promises to "take it one meet at a time," but she said she hopes to improve upon her second-place finish at the NCAA Championships as a rookie and third-place finish as a sophomore.

When asked about her chances of winning the triple jump in the NCAA Championships this season, Ben Nun said, "Everything's possible, but this year the competition is tougher than it was three years ago and two years ago, so it's going to be hard, but I'm going to do my best.