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Galdino ends decorated Stratford career with gold
HOUSTON - Emanuel Galdino put a golden finish on his high school running career under the state's brightest lights.
In the same stadium that just a year ago, the Stratford senior raced to a third-place finish in the 1600-meter run, the Iowa State-signee kicked it into another gear in 2022. Coming down the home stretch of Mike A. Myers Stadium, Galdino raced across the line more than 10 seconds faster from 2021.
Galdino crossed along at 4:06.40 - a personal best good enough for the Class 6A 1600-meter State Championship.
"This is what every runner has been working for is that state gold medal," Galdino said.
Emanuel Galdino from Houston Stratford takes the 6A boys 1600m win in a time of 4:06 ahead of Plano West’s Hudson Heikkinen. pic.twitter.com/bbZmksVLti
— Texas MileSplit (@TXMileSplit) May 15, 2022
The Stratford senior this spring finished in either first or second in every race he ran. Of his 19 races, Galdino took first in 15 of those.
His 1600-meter time went from a 4:20.95 in the opening race of the season at the Spring Branch ISD Will Taylor Relays in February to shaving off more than 14 seconds by this past weekend's UIL State Track & Field State Championships.
So, when did he know that a gold medal would be his destiny?
"The moment I woke up that morning," Galdino said. "I knew when I was going to step on that line, I was going to win."
As Galdino walks away from Stratford, he hopes that people remember him for being "exhilarating" and driven.
"If you want it and dream about it, go get it," Galdino said.
Meet "Turbo": Huffman's Williams set to compete in trio of events at UIL State Track & Field Meet
HOUSTON - Jade Wiliams has always had the tendency to do everything quick.
When she was in middle school, a basketball evaluator said that her first step had a little bit of "turbo" in it. Since then, the nickname has stuck.
That quickness has now landed the Huffman sophomore at the 2022 UIL State Track & Field Meet in Austin on Thursday morning. Not just in one event but in three - the 4x200-meter relay, 300-meter hurdles and the long jump. Williams is the first girl in Huffman history to qualify for State in three different events.
"I feel excited and blessed to successfully execute what I’ve worked so hard for," Williams said. "I didn’t know I was the first, I just wanted to make it as far as I could in every event."
At the Regional Meet, Williams actually made it in four events (100-hurdles, 300-hurdles, long jump and 4x200) but was only going to compete in three.
The day started with the long jump.
Williams raced down the runway and launched herself through the air. Once she hit the sand she got up, they measured and called out her distance - 18 feet-6 1/2-inches. A new personal best by a whole foot.
The leap sent Williams to the Regional Championship and smashed a 40-year-old school record of 17-feet-11-inches.
"I had no clue I had jumped 18’-6 1/2”. When they called out the distance, my coaches reactions said it all," Williams said. "I prayed right before that jump and God carried me to where I needed to be."
Then it was time to hit the track for her running events.
At the Area Meet, she ran the 4x200 and felt exhausted for her 300-meter hurdle race making her "apprehensive about running the 4x200 at Regionals".
The sophomore decided to run.
"After long contemplation and prayer, I decided I didn’t want my teammates to miss out on the experience because of me," Williams said. "I knew it would be difficult, but if I really wanted to win the 300 hurdles, I’d make it happen, and I did. I’m glad I made that decision."
Williams ran the 4x200-meter relay along with Lexi Rousseau, Adyson Booth, and Lilly Sarbeck and finished as the Regional Champion (1:44.52).
She then went on to win the 300-meter hurdles (46.445) to punch her ticket to State in three different events. With her performance along with her teammates, Huffman girls track and field finished with 85 points and as the Region III-4A Champions at the end of April. The first-ever team Regional Championship in program history.
"It was totally unexpected and amazing to experience and share this accomplishment with my teammates," Williams said.
"Turbo" also plays basketball at Huffman and this past season she reached 1,000 career points already for the Falcons. Now, she will try and add some State gold to her accomplishments on Thursday.
"I still have a lot of work to do," Williams said. "I’m going work even harder these next two weeks. By [State], when the time comes, I’ll be more than ready!"