Charlee Salinas and Daizy Monie are first and second in District 31-5A in the shot put. Salinas, a Mission Veterans senior, leads the state in Class 5A with a record of 44 feet and 9 inches. Trailing behind Salinas is Monie, a junior from Sharyland Pioneer with a toss of 44-8.5, just half an inch difference.
“I am not where I want to be right now,” Salinas said. “But I am still working very hard. I am still pretending the season is ongoing and training mostly everyday.”
The UIL put sporting events on hold until further notice due to the coronavirus outbreak, leaving Salinas aching to come back and perform. “I am looking forward to competing again, it is my senior year and I really want to finish the season and improve my record,” Salinas said. Last year, Salinas threw her personal record of 43-3.5 which improved this year to 44-9 making her first in state and district.
Salinas signed with Sam Houston State University on Dec. 26, where she will continue both her education and track career. “I am very happy that I am able to continue what I love to do after high school,” Salinas said.
Salinas went to state her junior year, where she placed fourth. Not only does Salinas succeed in shot put, but in discus as well, where she is ranked sixth in the state with a throw of 136-10. Salinas qualified for the Wild Card in discus, which is an event that has all the best athletes in the area division and placed seventh, Salinas said.
The Pioneer junior is right behind the Veterans senior. “I am very grateful that I have her as my competitor,” Salinas said. “She (Monie) pushes me to do better- if there was no one, I would have definitely not pushed myself as much. She makes me better.”
Monie is ranked second in state in Class 5A and in district. “I have been doing track since I was in fourth grade. I come from a family that loves track,” Monie said.
Since then, Monie has set high goals and strives to reach them. “My goal when I entered high school was to make it to state,” she said.
Monie reached state as a freshman in discus and placed ninth. “I did not want to be last again, so I worked hard the summer of freshman year going into sophomore year,” Monie said. “I made it to state again my sophomore year and placed second.” Monie still has high goals regardless of the season being put on hold. “I want to win state this year, in both shot put and discus.” Monie has a personal record in discus with 145-10, which she obtained in a district meet her sophomore year at PSJA High, making her third in the state and in district. She also set a personal record of 44-8.5 in shot put, putting her behind Salinas.
“I was excelling more in shot put rather than in discus this season,” Monie said. “I was struggling a lot in discus, but I am slowly getting back to it and working on my technique. I am working hard in both events because I know I am ranked.”
Monie is still striving to finish the season strong, being only half an inch behind Salinas. “She (Salinas) is a great athlete.We are right there, close to each other. Whenever we compete with each other, it’s intense. It all depends how you show up, your mind and your goals for that meet, it can be anyone’s game.”
Monie follows in her sister’s footsteps, Nora Monie, who holds a school record at the Sharyland Pioneer high school with a 45-3.5 in the shot put.
Both Salinas and Monie are looking into going to state, if the season permits it.