ALTON - Track and field star Lajarvia Brown, the IHSA Class 3A state champion in the 100-meter hurdles and the triple jump in 2016, was inducted into the Alton High School Sports Hall of Fame in ceremonies recent ceremonies.
The Hall of Fame was founded by former football coach Joe Hook in 2011, and since its founding has inducted 18 teams, nine coaches, 48 athletes and two friends of Redbird athletics.
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Brown won the 2016 Class 3A titles in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.89 seconds and the triple jump with a distance of 42 feet, 1.75 inches, which was a state record. She also placed second in the long jump at 19 feet. 2.5 inches and was third in the 300-meter hurdles at 43.47 seconds. She went on to a successful track career at Texas A&M, and also was a first-team All Southwestern Conference basketball selection in her senior year.
"I really can't know where to begin or end with the accolades that have poured on this young lady here," Mitchell said in his speech. "She was a very outstanding athlete. I've been around a very long time in athletics in Alton, and in my estimation, she may be the greatest athlete, male or female, to ever graduated from Alton High School."
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In her incredible day at the 2016 finals, Brown set four school records in each of her events, along with the state record in the triple jump, barely missing the state record in the 100-meter hurdles. The Redbirds finished second in the state meet.
"I can't say enough good things about what she presented for this team," Mitchell said. "Our team finished second in state that year, with 37 points Our goal that year, when the season started out, was to go and do a higher rate than what we did the year before."
The Redbirds had finished eighth in 2015, and with a great nucleus returning, had the opportunity to do something an Alton track team had ever done before.
"The girls believed me and what I said," Mitchell said. "If you look at the record boards in the gym many of the school records are for Larjavria and to that team of 2016."
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