This past summer, Harlingen High School senior Jazmine Thompson took part in eight track meets, earning a summer track meet record of 8-0 for shot put and 6-2 for discus.
After winning first place in both discus and shot put at the TAAF Regional and TAAF State Championship, she qualified for the AAU Junior Olympics.
The AAU Junior Olympics took place in Des Moines, Iowa on August 1-2.
“We had to do a lot of flying and traveling to get to Iowa, and then the weather was bad,” Thompson said. “For shot put, you don’t always get the perfect situation. We had wood, not concrete, so everyone was trying to fight back, especially with the rain. But I kind of just overcame it and tried my hardest.”
Thompson earned first place in shot put, throwing a distance of 43’ 7.
“I am very grateful to win, but I am very grateful in this situation because I joined track on a whim, and being able to accomplish this much, it feels amazing,” Thompson said. “My goal this upcoming school year is to win, so I will be putting in a lot of work during the off-season to build my strength and stamina.”