HARLINGEN — Sharyland Pioneer junior Evan Thompson maintained his stranglehold as the top boys shot putter in the Rio Grande Valley by winning gold at the RGV Coaches Association Meet of Champions on Saturday at Boggus Stadium.
The RGVCA Meet of Champions featured the top track and field athletes from across the Valley competing against each other. Competitors qualified for the Meet of Champions finals by posting a top-six distance, height or time during Friday’s preliminary meets hosted in Donna, Edcouch-Elsa, La Feria, McAllen and Weslaco, or previously posted a top qualifying time in the 800-, 1600- and 3200-meter runs this season.
Thompson was pushed by Los Fresnos’ Gerry Garcia, who set a personal record at 50 feet, 5 inches, but the Diamondbacks junior still finished nearly 3 feet ahead of his closest competition at 53-4 in. He also won silver in the discus with a personal record throw of 149-5.
Thompson said having the best throwers in the Valley in one meet motivated him.
“It ramps it up. I got a 2-foot PR (personal record) in discus — all the energy, it just helps,” he said.
Thompson’s throw of 54-1, accomplished Feb. 19 at the McAllen ISD Invitational, leads Region IV-5A and ranks third in the state in Class 5A. His focus is on qualifying for this year’s state meet while continuing to improve every week.
Edinburg Economedes junior Francesca Alvarado continued her dominance in the triple jump with a distance of 35-8 in to win gold.
“I think this is such an accomplishment for me because it’s something that I love and I’m just so passionate about my jumps,” Alvarado said. “I wasn’t really talented, so I actually had to work for it, so to win the meet, it’s such an accomplishment. I’m so proud of myself.”
Alvarado said she didn’t improve as much as she wanted during her sophomore year, so she was determined to get better. Now, her personal record distance of 38-0, which she hit Friday at the Meet of Champions prelims, ranks tied for fourth in Region IV-6A.
“Coach (Veronica) Vasquez helped me become the jumper I am today. Without her, I would not have been able to do this,” Alvarado said.
Edcouch-Elsa’s Haley Guzman also defended her title as the RGV’s top girls pole vaulter by setting a personal record with a height of 11-3, which is tied for the seventh-highest pole vault in Class 5A.
WINNING LATE
Brownsville Lopez’s Keyla Olguin won first in discus on her final attempt of the day with a distance of 135-4, a personal record. Her throw put her ahead of Harlingen High’s Jazmine Thompson and PSJA North’s Jaylah Martinez. “I wanted to do my best,” she said.
