By Gary Van Cleave
Special to Great Bend Tribune
Even when Grant Watkins isn’t feeling great, he’s still susceptible to greatness.
Competing recently at the AAU Junior Olympic Nationals at Humble, Texas, the Great Bend High sophomore got sick running the 1,500 meters as part of the 10-event decathlon.
Yet, he never missed a beat and upchucked while running but never stopping.
“I was running and everyone was going pretty fast and I was trying to keep up with them on the first lap,” Watkins said. “Then I ended up throwing up, but I didn’t break stride and I beat a lot of people on the last lap because I stuck to my pace. I threw up and kept running.”
Despite his stomach ailments, Watkins was clocked in 5:16 and amazingly set a personal record by an astonishing 15 seconds. Just another day on the track for Watkins, who racked up a personal-best 5,451 points to finish fourth to earn All-American status in the 15-16-year-old division.
“It feels good. It was definitely one of my goals,” said Watkins, who turned 16 last month. “It means a lot. I think I have a good future ahead of me.”
His good future may soon become great for the local version of the Ever-Ready Bunny who keeps going and going and…..
“Grant is a tremendous talent with an amazing work habit,” said Lyles Lashley, Great Bend and AAU track coach. “For him to go down to Texas and finish an All American it’s just a great accomplishment. It is nice to see his hard work pay off."
He set PRs in four of the 10 events that make up the decathlon. Besides the 1,500 Watkins established personal bests in the 400 (53.83), discus (120-2) and high jump (6-1).
“I was impressed by them,” Watkins said of the quad bests. “I knew I could do all them, I just needed to perform.”
Watkins performed quite well in the high jump where he had no practice before jumping.
“It was pretty crazy after I cleared 5-6,” Watkins said. “I matched my PR (5-9) but I was like four inches over it. And then I got 6-1 and I still had a ton of room for 6-3. I was over 6-3 but I hit it with my elbow and didn’t end up making it.”
Watkins termed his 400-meter performance ‘decent’ but his discus top throw ‘was very good.’
Watkins described his performances in the other events.
“In the 100 (12.25) it went all right, everyone was .5 off their PR,” Watkins said. “Long jump (18-1) wasn’t good my mark was off. Shot put (35-101/2) went all right. I was pretty close to my PR.”
Sunday featured oppressive Texas heat and two lightning delays.
“In the 110 hurdles (16.64) I had a bad race,” Watkins said. “Then they switched the events around so it went to pole vault instead of discus.”
He vaulted 11-feet in pole vault, a foot and a half off his career best. Luck wasn’t on his side in the javelin.
“I scratched my good throw in javelin and my best throw was 20 feet off my PR when the one I scratched would have been a PR by 20 feet,” he said.
Watkins finished 17th at nationals one year ago. Watkins qualified for AAU Nationals with 5,067 points. Pennsylvania's Isaiah Bland (6,004) placed first nationally.
“That was pretty disappointing so knowing that my hard work would pay off it was awesome,” said Watkins, who competed against 32 boys from across the country. “It’s a 1,200-point difference (from last year). Harder work and getting faster.”
Coach Shane Weiszbrod said. "I'm sure it means more to him than it does us. As coaches, we just look for kids to get better and compete hard. I'm just happy his hard work is paying off."
Watkins caries lofty expectations.
“I had 5,451 points, my goal was 6,000,” Watkins said. “I want to get 7,000 points by the end of high school.”
Watkins’ next chance to compete will likely come this winter in an indoor meet.
“I’m impressed with myself,” Watkins said. “I feel like I got pretty close to my goals.”
