Thoreau’s Garcia wins Class 3A state discus title
Navajo Times | Ravonelle Yazzie
Thoreau Hawk DeShaun Garcia sets himself up to throw the shot put on Saturday during the New Mexico Class 3A state track and field meet in Albuquerque. Garcia captured gold in the discus event with a throw of 135 feet, 5 inches.
ALBUQUERQUE
After months of thinking about his discus throwing techniques, DeShaun Garcia decided to forget it all.
At the New Mexico A-3A Track and Field State Championships last weekend, Garcia threw the disc 135 feet, 5 inches to earn the Class 3A state title.
The Thoreau High junior said his mental focus got him the win.
“I went in there relaxed as can be,” he said. “I got to where I was about to throw, everything went blank, technique felt right, release felt right, everything was on point.”
In less than ideal weather conditions, Garcia said he managed to stay focused.
Temperatures reached the low 50s last week with constant rain, which worried Garcia a little as he entered competition.
“I just wanted to get mentally prepared for the cold,” he said. “I got there to warm up and after that the weather didn’t really affect me.”
In his first throw, Garcia threw 123 feet flat. He said he was worried that the ring was slippery, so it took him some time to adjust.
But in his second throw, he said he knew he was ready.
“I wasn’t thinking about throwing. I was focusing on other things than throwing, which helps with my throwing,” Garcia said. “I was focused on the idea of wanting the state championship so bad.”
Garcia threw the winning distance. He said the win was something he couldn’t quite come to terms with, even after the second day of competition.
“It was exciting, but then also felt like it wasn’t real at the same time,” Garcia said. “I was trying to live in the moment, but was out of the moment at the same time.”
It was a long journey to his first state title.
Garcia was four inches way from placing last season, and finished in seventh position.
Having been so close to placing, he made it a goal to put in the work in the offseason and to come back strong.
“It was more of the work I put in this year,” Garcia said. “I was more solely on discus. When it came down to actual competition, I was focused more on technique than I was every other factor.”
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