PHARR — Sharyland Pioneer’s Evan Thompson and Harlingen High’s Jazmine Thompson picked up right where they left off by dominating the throwing events at this year’s PSJA North Winter Relays on Saturday at PSJA Stadium.
Both qualified for last year’s UIL state track and field meet in Austin, and swept the boys and girls discus in their first official varsity track and field meet of the 2023 season Saturday.
Harlingen’s Thompson finished first in the shot put with a throw of 41 feet, 7 inches, and discus with a toss of 131-5. The Cardinals’ junior spent part of the offseason traveling across the country and competing in shot put and discus, and started her 2023 track and field season with a pair of gold medals.
| Harlingen High’s Jazmine Thompson competes in the discus throw during the PSJA North Winter Relays at PSJA Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, in Pharr. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) Joel Martinez |
“I’m thankful for track because I went all across the country this summer. Throwing with people from Oregon to California, it’s helped me experience new things. It really helped me stay on top of it,” she said.
PSJA North’s Jaylah Martinez claimed silver in both shot put and discus with distances of 39-2.5 and 130-4, respectively. PSJA Southwest’s Marcela Treviño finished third in the discus with a throw of 121-6. Weslaco High’s Kassandra Gonzalez earned third in the shot put at 36-4.25.
Sharyland Pioneer senior Evan Thompson took care of business on the boys side with a pair first-place finishes, and his younger brother, Derek Thompson, a freshman, claimed second in the shot put.
| Sharyland Pioneer’s Evan Thompson competes in the discus throw during the PSJA North Winter Relays at PSJA Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, in Pharr. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) Joel Martinez |
Evan Thompson is coming off a third-place finish at the UIL Class 5A state track and field meet in 2022. On Saturday, he broke a meet record in shot put previously held by former PSJA Southwest shot put state champion Diego Treviño with a throw of 57-8.75, besting Treviño’s mark of 55-0.5 set in 2018. Treviño is currently in his senior season as a thrower at Oklahoma. Evan Thompson also took first in discus with a 159-9 throw.
“(Diego Treviño is) huge — he’s really, really good. Down in the Valley, all the throwers, we all know him and what he’s done in high school and college — he’s a legend,” Evan Thompson said. “So to be able to break his record, hopefully I can break some more records of his, that’d be great, but it’s awesome, man. It feels good.
Derek Thompson made his varsity debut Saturday and took second in the shot put with a throw of 49-0.5, edging out his older competition and setting a personal record in the process. The younger Thompson said it’s fun working with his older brother and having someone to look up to on the same path.
| Sharland Pioneer’s Derek Thompson competes in the shot put during the PSJA North Winter Relays at PSJA Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, in Pharr. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) Joel Martinez |
“I was a little nervous but I was happy that I got second, especially as a freshman,” he said. “It’s great to be able to practice with (Evan). He teaches me new stuff every single day. He really helps me in practices and meets to help me throw my best and my furthest.”
“It’s great. I get to see him every single day. He’s a bit of a butt sometimes, but it’s all in good fun,” Evan Thompson said, joking about his younger brother. “I get to see him progress, train with him, work with him. He pushes me, I push him. It’s a little brotherly rivalry we have, but we love each other so it’s been great.”
Edinburg Vela teammates Ronnie Ramirez and Kristopher Perez finished second and third in boys discus with throws of 145-11 and 134-03, respectively.
Complete results from the PSJA North Winter Relays can be found at RGVSports.com.