Indoor Track Athlete Janiya Harmon won the shot put at the CIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships with a mark of 13.72 meters in February.
Harmon began her journey with the event in high school in 9th grade. The path to choosing the event was one that involved her looking for something unique.
“I wanted to try something different from softball during the spring, so I joined track,” Harmon said. “I never liked running, so I gave shot put a try, and I’ve stuck with it ever since.”
Although Harmon has been competing in the shot put for some time, she wasn’t expected to take first at the CIAA Championships.
“Going into the conference meet, I was seeded 4th and knew I would need to throw around 45 feet to win,” Harmon said. “My first throw was 43 feet, so the adrenaline kicked in and I knew I was close. On my third throw, I hit 45 feet, and that’s when I really knew I could win.”
Now, in the middle of the outdoor season, Harmon continues to work hard at doing better and better in the event. There are still more milestones for her.
“This win motivates me to keep improving, I can’t get complacent , and push toward qualifying for nationals,” Harmon said.
There are quite a lot of goals left for Harmon and not just involving shot put.
“My goals are to win shot put and discus and qualify for nationals. During the indoor season, I hit the qualifying mark but didn’t make the top 16, so that’s definitely motivating me to push harder,” Harmon said.
Inspiration comes from a lot of sources but one source are the other Trojan track athletes.
“My teammates inspire me through their constant support,” Harmon said. “Even though track is an individual sport, having a strong support system makes a big difference. They bring energy and push me to want to be great. At the conference meet, they really showed up for me, and I’m also very appreciative of the support from AD Sykes, Fasion, and Coach Chris. They were there for almost all of my throws, and that meant a lot.”
As a student athlete there are countless hours that one has to devote to practice and competing. Athletes look for the excitement to keep them going during the long season.
“The best part is getting to see new places and compete against different athletes. It’s always exciting to experience different environments and meet new people. It’s also fun to be around the team cause it’s always good laughs when we’re together.”
