The hard work paid off for Washington School jumpers Maddie Jones and Joseph Smith last week.
Jones and Smith, the Planters Bank Players of the Week, both set personal records at the Class 4A North State Track Meet last Wednesday,
In the triple jump, Jones won the event with a jump of 32 feet and 4 and a half inches. In the long jump, Smith won with a jump of 21 feet and seven inches.
Washington School coach William Ray said both Jones and Smith worked hard to break their personal marks. Now, they are peaking at just the right time as they prepare for the state meet which starts Friday in Jackson.
“With Joseph, it is his speed,” Coach Ray said. “There is a difference between being fast and being quick and Joseph is super quick which makes a difference on long jump.”
“Maddie has an impeccable work ethic. She is out here working six or seven days a week and she has progressed and gotten better each year.”
Jones and Smith were not the only athletes to perform well at the North State event. Washington School’s Tylan Sherdon threw a personal best in the shot pit. Elly Hitt ran a personal best in the mile, and Lawton Poole had a personal best in the 800.
All these General athletes, along with others, are expected to compete for a state championships, Coach Ray said.
“We just had four or five athletes who just set personal records,” the Washington School coach said. “They have shown a lot of progression, and they have all put in the work to be the best that they can be.”
