By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Briar Gillum's final Class 3A state track and field meet went from heartbreak to disbelief and then finally to pure joy.
After finishing third in the 3A shot put as a junior, Gillum had her sights set on the title in Friday's competition and held the event lead for much of the competiition beffore Eureka's Abby Singhateh got off a big throw to take the state title by 4.50 inches, winning at 41 feet, 10.50 inches while Gillum was second at 41-6.
Rossville Class 3A state girls discus champ Briar Gillum stands in front of the leaderboard after delivering a school-record 135-11 throw on her final attempt in her final high school state meet. [Twitter photo/RossvilleDawgs]
It was a hard pill to swallow.
"When I lost I was really upset because it's been my dream since I started because at Rossville when you win a state championship we get our name on the wall in the gym, so I've been looking at all of those since I started throwing and I've just really, really wanted my name up there,'' Gillum said. "And of course we get to ring the bell outside the school, so I really wanted it and I really thought shot was my chance so when it didn't happen I was upset.
"I did throw good, I was proud of my throws, but the fact that I lost, it hurt a little bit.''
Gillum had no choice but to regather herself and regroup and used the approximately three hours between the shot put and discus to do just that before going out and turning in the best performance of her prep career.
"I sat in the shade the whole time, I just kind of relaxed and got focused on discus,'' Gillum said. "Coach was like, 'You've got to put it behind you, you've got another opportunity, you've got another shot and you've got to go for it,' and I did.''
Gillum, who had finished eighth as a junior, never trailed in Friday night's competition after getting off an opening throw of 128-9.
"I had a good first mark, and with that mark I knew I was going to get in the finals, so after that I was like, 'You've just got to go, right now,'' she said.
Gillum, who will throw in college at Missouri Southern, went on to break her own school record twice, but there was absolutely no celebrating until after her victory was secure right before her final throw.
"The girl ahead of me (in the throwing order) from Beloit (Tatum Seyfert) is a great thrower and I was ready for her to pop one at any time,'' Gillum said. "And then she threw her last throw (a foul) and I knew I had won and I just like, 'Oh my gosh.' I couldn't believe it and I was like in shock for a little bit.''
With the pressure off, Gillum went out and delivered a personal-record throw, a school-record 135-11, to add an exclamation mark to her state title.
"I got in the ring and just chucked it out there,'' Gillum said.
It still took awhile for her new title -- State champion Briar Gillum -- to sink in.
"Even when I was going up for the awards and I was standing up there, I just couldn't believe it.''
