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Freshman Zach Peckman leapt from the New Hope-Solebury School District to the global stage as he represented the U.S. at the 2023 World Jump Rope Championships in Colorado Springs over the summer.
Peckman, secured a position alongside another Bucks County teenager in the 2023 World Jump Rope Championships that took place in July at Ed Robson Arena in Colorado Springs.
Representing the U.S. National Jump Rope Team, Peckman took on challenges in five categories, such as Speed Sprint, Speed Endurance, and a partnered event named “Wheel” alongside teammate Bree Hall.
Both athletes are a part of Zero Gravity, a hometown jump rope squad now associated with Doylestown YMCA.
Peckman notched high scores in the Speed Sprint (30-second duration) and Speed Endurance (3-minute span) during both regional and national contests, earning him a seat on the U.S. junior team for the global championship, according to the New Hope-Solebury School District.
In these timed categories, participants aim to achieve the highest number of jumps. Out of 1,200 participants from 27 nations at the World Championships, Peckman set personal records in both his solo categories, registering some of the top scores for a U.S. junior male athlete this year. His skill set also extended to freestyle categories, where jump rope routines are assessed similarly to gymnastic floor exercises. After excelling in regional qualifiers in the under 16 category, Peckman and Hall secured the third position in the U.S. for the “Wheel” contest.
Peckman’s initial encounter with jump roping occurred in New Hope-Solebury elementary schools, where he watched a senior student jump rope group’s performance. He was then introduced to the sport through the school’s Jump Rope Club, led by physical education instructor, Jim DiTulio.
Motivated by witnessing students jump during an assembly, Peckman soon became one of the performers. He was part of a local display team, the Bungee Jumpers, which showcased their skills at school assemblies and prominent venues such as the Wells Fargo Center and Madison Square Garden.
When the Bungee Jumpers disbanded during the pandemic, Peckman pursued competitive jumping with Zero Gravity.
“It is challenging because it takes a long time to develop your skills, to see improvement, and to build endurance,” said Peckman. “Once you do, it’s very rewarding.”
In the upcoming year, Peckman eyes regional contests and the 2025 World Championship in Kawasaki, Japan.
“I would love to be a world champion someday and hopefully jump rope will be an Olympic sport in 2028, but right now I’m working really hard to become the junior national champion next year.”
For now, both Peckman and his father, Marcus, shared the excitement and energy of being part of the World Championship event.
“Going to the World Championships was nothing like I’d ever seen. Where else would you, in the span of ten minutes, talk to someone from Japan, Taipei, Hong Kong, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Austria? When I was lined up with Zach for his Speed Sprint heat, it was so exciting to be standing with all of these great athletes from around the world,” said Marcus Peckman.
He added: “We’re so proud of Zach because this was 100% his own motivation, he’s trained really hard for it, and it was a thrill. As a parent, you couldn’t be prouder.”
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