Austin Ross @ State Track Meet (5-9-14)

Austin Ross @ State Track Meet (5-9-14)

Austin Ross competed in the Texas State Track Meet in the University of Texas Mike Meyers Stadium Friday evening. The weather was warm and humid. Ross had qualified for the State Meet as the Wildcard by running the fourth fastest time in the four regional meets. 

A ninth lane was added to the Mike Meyers track a couple of years ago and so the fastest non-qualifier in each running event is invited to compete as the Wildcard. 

“I told Austin (Ross) just before he stepped into the area to take it all in,” said Mule track coach Kirk Byrd. “Enjoy yourself and leave it all on the track because you want to have no regrets when it is over.”

Ross and the other competitors were led into the stadium and were allowed to adjust their starting blocks. Each athlete took a few practice starts before being given the signal to stand behind their blocks.

The minutes behind the blocks must seem like hours as the runners see the race as they want to run it over and over in the heads. Finally, the signal to get in their blocks is given. 

Ross broke out of the blocks when the gun sound and led the pack around the curve and down the straight. Four other runners finally over took and passed Ross in the final fifty meters. 

“Austin got off to a fast start and led the first 150 meters but for some reason seemed to tighten up in the final 50 meters. But he was smiling when he walked back down the track to leave the stadium and seemed satisfied with his race,” concluded Coach Byrd. 

Ross finished fifth with a time of 22.06 seconds. The runner from Crane posted a time of 21.63 for the gold medal, a time of  21.67 took the silver medal and 21.79 was the bronze medal time. The runner from Wall just edged Ross out for fourth place at the finish line.

“I was happy to be back in Austin and in the State Track Meet,” Ross said after the race. “I sure did not want my high school track career to stop in the Odessa Regionals. I felt I ran my best today.”

“But I sure wish I had one more year as I am really going to miss it. I can not believe how fast these four years have gone. That all my high school sports are now over and in a way it is a little depressing but I have no regrets,” Ross concluded.