G’Auna Edwards is so talented that she ranks among the state’s best in an event she didn’t even plan to compete in.
A senior at Spring High School and a state qualifier in the 100-meter hurdles as a junior, Edwards normally earns her accolades in the high jump, long jump and the shorter of the two girls’ hurdle events.
On a whim earlier this season, Edwards ran in her first 300-meter hurdle race and ended up posting the second best time in the state at the time.
“That wasn’t on my radar when the season began, but I kept on running it afterwards,” she said. “Now I’m just trying to get my time down to 41 seconds before the finals of this meet.”
Edwards placed first in the long jump at the 2017 Victor Lopez Classic with a leap of 19 feet, two inches. She held off Kailei Collins of Katy Tompkins (19-1) and Claire Bryant of Spring Branch Memorial (18-8.50).
She also posted the second best qualifying time (14.30 seconds) in the 100-meter hurdles.
While competing in the Sam Mosley Relays earlier this season, Edwards jumped a personal best 19 feet, seven inches in the long jump.
Her goals coming into the 2017 season were reaching 20 feet in the long jump and running consistently in the 13-second range in the 100-meter hurdles. She’s had to expand her horizons as her workload has increased.
Edwards will compete in the Texas Relays this weekend (March 30-April 1).
Then it will be time for district, area and regional meets leading up to the state meet in Austin.
Following the completion of her stellar high school career, Edwards will head off to Texas Tech University on a track scholarship.