<h3 style="text-align: center;">
celebrating top performances week after week...</h3>
Haley Showalter and Andy Bowles not only set PR marks this past weekend, but both climbed high in the national rankings with their performances. Valor Christian Athletics photo/photo by Jon Mitchell, Glenwood Post Independent.
This week, Colorado Track XC honors Haley Showalter and Andy Bowles for their superior performances last weekend.
Haley Showalter, a junior out of Valor Christian High School won the discus at her home invitational with a throw of 151-5. That marks a new PR and is also currently the #8 ranked throw in the nation.
“I’m really happy it was a PR,” Showalter said. “It was really cold and windy so I think if it was a little warmer I could have done better but I need to learn how to deal with those conditions.”
The unfavorable conditions make Showalter’s performance this weekend even more impressive. It’s the best discus throw in the state so far this season and has catapulted her to even being one of the top in the nation. “It feels really good,” Showalter said. “It’s nice to know that the off season work paid off and all the training is working.”
Showalter put in hard work in the weight room this winter and has also been tweaking her form with the help of her coach. That has so far proved to be a successful combination and the future looks bright for Showalter. “This meet has made me really excited,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to throwing in the upcoming meets.”
Showalter’s upcoming meets include a series of invitationals around the state and of course the State Championships at which Showalter hopes for a win in the discus, but she also already has her sights set on some big post-season competition. “It’s not related to high school, but I’m also hoping to do well in the World trials in April for the hammer,” Showalter said. “That’s my main event.”
After her high school season last year, Showalter competed in the IAAF Youth World Trials placing 2nd in the hammer. Unfortunately, she was a couple meters off from qualifying for the championships held in Ukraine, but this year she’s hoping for a different outcome. “This summer I’ll be looking at the Youth Olympic Games,” Showalter said. “They’re in the China and I would love to do that. That’s the next step for me right now.”
With her very impressive early season performance, it looks like things could very likely shape up in Showalter’s favor.
Andy Bowles also just set the bar pretty high. In his season opener last Friday at the Rifle Invitational, Bowles cleared 6-9 in the high jump to win the event.
“I really surprised myself in the high jump,” said the senior of Coal Ridge High School. “I PR’d by three inches and was not expecting it. I’m really surprised.”
Bowles’ shock is largely contributed to his lack of practice leading up to the event. Just finishing up his basketball season, Bowles only got four days of practice in before Friday. “I didn’t get many jumps in before the first meet,” he said. “The basketball helped a lot with improving my vertical.”
Also a seasoned hurdler who placed in both hurdle events last year at state, Bowles will look to hurdle again this year but has been facing some adversity with a hamstring injury. “Last year at the state track meet, I partially tore my hamstring in the 110 hurdles,” Bowles said. “It’s still tight right now and I’m just getting used to track again but I’m definitely hoping to be in the hurdles again. The 300 hurdles is still my favorite event and the one I’ve worked the hardest at. I’m trying to work towards the state record which is a low 38 and if I heal back properly I think it’s definitely a possibility.”
Even with the lack of preparation and the injury still nagging him, Bowles proved this weekend that he will still be one to watch this season. 6-9 is the current season-best high jump in the state, and Bowles has his sights set on a 7-foot jump in the near future. “I definitely feel like I can work towards my goals,” he said.
Even though it may not be the perfect, healthy start to the season he was looking for, it looks as if this will still be a very sweet season for Bowles.
Congratulations to Haley Showalter and Andy Bowles for being named Colorado Track XC’s athletes of the week. Best of luck to them as they progress with their training!