By Mark Schafer | The News Review
DES MOINES – It proved to be well worth the wait.
After Pekin junior Anna Hadley had launched the shot put for the final time on May 23, everyone had to wait just to see how far she had flung the discus.
Going into the sixth and final throw Hadley knew she had already won the class 1A event, for the second time in her high school career, but the last throw felt like one of her best.
It proved to not just be one of her best, but one of the best-ever discus throws by a class 1A high schooler ever.
After what felt like an eternity the numbers popped up on the screen. The numbers were eye-poping: 150-feet-9-inches.
“I was completely awestruck when I saw the number pop up,” Hadley said. “It was amazing to see that number pop up.”
The school record? Shattered. The class 1A state meet record? Reset.
Not only was Anna Hadley the class 1A state champion, she was able to have one of the best-ever discus throws in the state of Iowa.
Not only did that throw of 150-feet-9-inches win her the class 1A state title in the discus event, it also set a new state record in the class 1A field. On top of that it is the third best throw recorded in Iowa this year. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, her throw ranks as the 49th best girls discus throw recorded in the United States this year.
For Hadley the win in the discus was reviving in many different ways.
“I came into today really down about shot put yesterday,” Hadley said after finishing sixth in the shot put on Thursday. “Last year when I lost the discus title I knew I had to get it back. I had won discus every year from seventh, eighth and ninth grade year, so not getting it last year really motivated me to get it back.”
Almost all of her throws on Friday were outstanding. Her first throw was only a measly 120-feet-2-inches, just a mere warmup throw for what was about to come.
Her second throw sailed 141-feet-1-inch, which gave her the lead at the time. She then launched the disc 149-feet-2-inches which reset the Pekin school record, and launched Hadley into the lead. Her next two throws were recorded at 141-feet-5-inches and 146-feet-4-inches.
Then came the final throw of 150-feet-9-inches.
“I didn’t think I was going to be able to break the school record this year,” Hadley said. “I was sure I was going to have to wait until next year. To get the state record as well, that was just amazing.”
The class 1A discus record had stood since 2004.
On Thursday, Hadley had thrown in the shot put, where she had to battle through an injury on one of her initial throws. She finished sixth overall with a best effort of 37-feet-4.5-inches.
There is still one thing that Hadley wants to work on accomplishing as she turns her attention to her senior year.
“I’ve won the discus and the shot put events at State,” Hadley said. “The only thing left to do is win both of them in the same year.”
Photos by Mark Schafer
