By MARK MOLINA | Staff Writer
AUSTIN — Porter triple jumper Estrella Medellin’s state meet debut didn’t result in a trip to the medal stand, but it was still one the junior Cowgirls athlete will remember.
After sitting in ninth place after four attempts, Medellin made the most of her fifth attempt, setting a new personal record of 37 feet, 1/4 inches, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the Class 5A triple jump Friday at The University of Texas’ Mike A. Meyers Stadium.
Medellin’s qualifying distance and previous PR of a 36-10 had her seeded No. 9, which is where she sat before her fifth attempt.
“I had to relax. I was a bit tense,” the junior said. “I had to make sure my left leg was up and, when I did it, it helped because I set a PR on that jump. It was really nice because that was my goal here, to PR.”
Friday’s personal record was the fourth for Medellin in two meets after setting three during the Region IV-5A meet, where she finished second behind Gregory-Portland’s Riley Floerke.
Medellin beat Floerke, who finished ninth at 36-5.
“That’s always the idea, for the kids to peak at the right time,” Porter coach Connie Uribe-Solis said. “You want them to do well at district and hopefully do well enough to win district, advance to area, peak at area, peak at regionals and then definitely peak at state. I think that PR jump was the best she hit the board all year. She was just peaking at the right time, and you can’t ask for any better than that.”
It was a new atmosphere for Medellin, but said she came into the meet without any pressure and took in the experience.
“I thought that I had nothing to lose,” Medellin said. “After doing that I realized I did well, but I could have done better. The atmosphere was just really nice. You have all these people that like track and that are here to watch you, even the jumps. They’re here because they know what it’s about. It’s really nice.”
WHAT’S ON TAP
There will be seven Cameron and Willacy County athletes competing on Day 2 of the state meet.
Rivera’s Andrea de la Rosa gets things going with the Class 6A girls 3,200-meter run at 9:20 a.m., followed by Harlingen South’s Andrew Ott in the 6A boys shot put at noon.
Rio Hondo’s Jazaline Ayala will try her hand in the 4A girls 800, as will Rivera’s Julian Tavarez in the boys 6A division. The 800 races begin at 6 p.m.
At 6:35 p.m., Los Fresnos‘ Brianna Alex will hit the track for the 100-meter hurdles, followed by Harlingen High’s Jose Garcia in the 100 at 7:05 p.m.
Santa Maria’s Julissa Garcia will run the 400 at 8:05 p.m.