Sulphur Springs
Jayden Holly of Sulphur Springs has only been throwing discus and shot put for two years.
And, for the second consecutive year, the 14-year-old can count herself among the best in the state.
Holly competed last week at the annual Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) Summer Games, representing the Garland Track Club in the girls 14 and under division shot put and discus events.
Holly finished seventh overall in the discus and 18th overall in the shot put at the games, which took place July 25-29.
The track and field events were hosted by College Station High School.
In the shot put, Holly threw 29 feet in the finals.
Kzaria Butler won the event with a distance of 38 feet, 9 1/2 inches.
Holly’s final distance in the discus event was 77 feet, 4 inches, good for seventh.
Bronwyn Adams won the event with a distance of 96 feet, three inches.
This year, at the regional games held in Garland, Holly was as good as gold, taking home first in the discus with a distance of 76 feet, 10 inches and third in the shot put with a distance of 31 feet, 5 inches.
While good enough for medals, both throws were below her personal best distances of 35 feet in shot put and just over 85 feet in discus.
Last year, Holly placed 16th in the state in shot put with a distance of 29 feet, 5 inches and 23rd overall in discus with a distance of 51 feet.
Holly was one of two Hopkins County athletes to make the State Games of Texas last year, joining recent Sulphur Springs graduate Sadavia Mosley-Porter.
Jayden is the daughter of Christopher Holly of Dallas and Sonja Rush of Sulphur Springs.