Discus thrower gets to compete in Australia

In a discus throw at one of his meets last spring, Van Buren freshman Garrett Standifird set a national record. That throw also has enabled Standifird the opportunity to compete in an international competition. Standifird, currently a sophomore at Van Buren, has been invited to participate in the 29th annual Down Under Sports Tournament, an event which will take place this July in Brisbane, Australia. He was selected as a 2017 Arkansas All-State track and field Central Conference team member. "I'm ecstatic, I'm ready," Standifird said. "I am excited and honored to represent my community and state doing something I really love to do. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity." Standifird and his mother, Tammy, both said they had not heard of the Down Under Sports Tournament. That is, until a package arrived at their front door. The contents of the package included a certificate, a letter explaining Garrett had been nominated and would be invited to go to Australia and a registration form if he chose to respond. "I was pretty calm (upon receiving the package); my mom was a little weirded out that I didn't show any emotion or anything, but on the inside, I was jumping up in the air. ... I was so happy," he said. Tammy Standifird said she believes Garrett got the invite due to his performance at last spring's meet in Fayetteville. There, Garrett was first from his conference and set a freshman school record as well as a 2016 national record in the 1 kilo event with a throw measuring 174 feet and 10 inches. "This is what I learned from asking the questions, he set the 1 kilo record nationally with that throw," Tammy Standifird said. "That put him on the radar of scouts, and whoever it was submitted his name and nominated him, so I don't know if it was the Arkansas coaches; they would never tell me who, they just told me it was because of his competition when he set that record." At next summer's event in Australia, Garrett Standifird will participate in the 1.5 kilo and 1.75 kilo discus event. He and his team will spend nine days competing in a variety of events for individual honors and a team championship title.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Van Buren High School Athletics

DISCUS THROWER GETS TO COMPETE IN AUSTRALIA

BUCK RINGGOLD

Times Record | 12/25/2016

PHOTO CREDIT: Van Buren High School Athletics