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CHARLESTON – LaJarvia Brown will be center stage on Saturday in Charleston, shooting for an incredible four first-place finishes in the IHSA Class 3A State Track and Field Meet.
Sadly, LaJarvia’s mother died some months back and is not able to be there to witness her daughter’s feats, but throughout the meet she thinks of her mom, who holds a special place in her heart and arm.
Brown proudly flashes her tatto
o in memory of her mother, Lakiesha Dorsey. It says: “Daughter Of An Angel – 11-15-2014.”
The track and field superstar is dedicating Saturday to her mother in hopes of capturing four individual state titles in the 100 high hurdles, 300 low hurdles, long jump and triple jump.
“I have the tattoo in memory of mother,” LaJarvia said on Friday in between the long jump and triple jump competition. “I think my mother would be overwhelmed with joy with me here again. I think she would be proud. That carries me through every meet.”
Coach Terry Mitchell is like a father to LaJarvia and all the girls on the Alton High School track and field team. He works with each of them on their events and always exudes a positive nature and encouragement to the girls. Mitchell said he believes LaJarvia will soar past the 40-foot mark in the triple jump and close in on 20-feet in the long jump Saturday.
He said he is excited for LaJarvia to take the track and perform in the field events today.
“She is poised right now and in good position,” he said. “She had a tough day today and will have another tough one tomorrow, but I think she is in position to do some great things.”
Brown is ranked first in the 300 low hurdles (43.9), close to the top in the long jump and triple jump and second in the 100 high hurdles by a fraction of a second. She said she didn’t jump from the board on Friday, so she expects to go out much longer Saturday.
No matter where LaJarvia travels, she always thinks of her hometown of Alton. Alton may be known as the home of Robert Wadlow, the world’s tallest man, but now it is also where one of the greatest female track and field athletes of all-time in Illinois calls her home.
“Everywhere I go I get the support of Alton,” she said with pride of the city on the Mississippi River near St. Louis.
Again thinking of her mother, LaJarvia said this Friday her mother would be so proud of her taking the stage and accepting her diploma at Alton High School. LaJarvia is an exceptional student and is going to Texas A & M this fall on a full track and field scholarship.
Along her way, LaJarvia has faced many difficult obstacles, most of all the loss of her loving mother. Now, every day in the classroom and on the track and jumping pits, she tries to make her mother, family and her beloved hometown proud.
"I think she would be happy," LaJarvia said of what she has achieved at such a young age.
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