Estacada’s Abby Behrman sets school record, again

What do you do after besting a 50-year-old school record? Toss one further, of course.

Estacada junior Abby Behrman knew it was good the moment it left her hand. On her third toss — there is something about that number — during a meet Wednesday, April 17, she heaved the discus 139 feet and 1 inch. That mark not only won the competition, but also bettered her own school record by five feet.

“That was my slowest, most controlled throw,” Behrman said. “It shows that form beats anything.”

“You have to slow down, feel positions, and then hit it at the end,” she added.

After that toss, Behrman had a beaming smile and hugged loved ones.

“I don’t know what it is about that third throw, I am just warm, building, just my lucky one I guess,” Behrman said.

“It feels good, I just have to keep beating myself,” she said. “I worked hard to get here.”

For the Rangers track and field faithful, girls discus has become appointment viewing. The fans crowd around the net every time Behrman tosses one, as you never know when she is going to better that historic mark.

“I decided to solely focus on track this season and it has been paying off,” she said. “I knew I had this potential in me, track is where I want to be.”

Wednesday’s meet was the best kind of déjà vu.

“Each time I step up for my fourth attempt I think, ‘OK, I just have to be myself,” Behrman said with a laugh on having to follow up those record throws.

Behrman first broke the school record during the Estacada Home Opener, Thursday, March 21, over spring break. She tossed it 134-1.5 feet on her third attempt, besting a mark of 131 feet and 11 inches that was set by Marcia Mecklenburg back in 1974.

Those two have formed a special connection. Mecklenburg has become Behrman’s biggest fan. After the young thrower claimed the record, Mecklenburg penned a congratulatory note.

“It’s been really nice having a relationship with Marcia,” Behrman said. “When I went to Idaho she was super friendly. She has been watching me throw, and wants me to break the records.”

Behrman isn’t resting on her many laurels. In addition to her discus record, she also has a silver medal from last year’s state championships and a gold at Nationals. She wants to keep pushing that mark in discus, and is eyeing another Mecklenburg record: a toss of 43 feet and 5 inches in the shot put. Behrman is currently second all-time for the Rangers at 38-1.5, though she said she has been consistently hitting 40 feet in practice.

And for the discus, her premiere event, it is all about continuing to add to that historic PR.

“Districts, state, nationals — I am focused on all of those,” she said. “I know I can throw further.”