NEW YORK (AP) _ Former New York Giants running back David Wilson significantly improved his performance in the triple jump in his second meet in two days but still was short of the qualifying standard for the U.S. championships.

Wilson jumped 52 feet, 3/4 inches at the East Region Open Championships on Sunday with an eight-step approach. A day earlier, he went 48-1 1/4 in his first pro meet at the Adidas Grand Prix, realizing he wasn’t ready for a full 12-step approach at this stage of his training.

He has jumped a wind-aided 53-1 3/4 when he finished sixth at the NCAA meet for Virginia Tech in 2011.

A former first-round draft pick, Wilson was forced to retire after two NFL seasons because of a neck injury, then decided to give triple jump another try.

This weekend was the last chance to qualify for nationals.