Medaling Mustang: Wildorado's Bryant defends long jump gold, claims bronze in triple jump

AUSTIN — Dustin Bryant spent the last two years competing for the Wildorado Mustangs track and field team since his move to the area from New Mexico. 

All he did during that span was win back-to-back Class 1A boys long jump gold medals and a bring a total of four medals with him back to the small town just over 20 miles west of Amarillo. 

At Mike A. Myers Stadium on Saturday morning, Bryant defended his long jump state title and clinched his second straight bronze in the state meet triple jump to highlight the last day of action in Austin.

"It's hard to explain the feeling," Bryant said after his long jump victory. "Coming into my senior season that was the goal I had. The biggest goal I had was to get the state record, but I didn't get that today. I got my medal and I won for the second time in a row. It was a good feeling and I'm happy with it." 

The multi-sport star was also the first ever Wildorado student-athlete to sign their letter of intent to compete at the collegiate level when he signed with the Lubbock Christian University men's track and field program back in January.

Even though he did not spend all four years competing for the Mustangs, Bryant has quickly developed into the school's most notable athlete where he excelled in basketball, football, and track and field. 

This year's experience at state was more meaningful to the senior even after winning the same medals in both events as he did in 2021.

"It's a little more special than it was last year," he said. "Last year I came in not ranked as high and in long jump I was the wild card and ended up with the gold. This year, I had something to prove and I think I did that today." 

Bryant approached his last attempt of the triple jump in fourth place and needed to jump farther than 43 feet, six inches to move into the top three.

Wildorado's star athlete delivered his best jump of the event and propelled himself into third.

"I knew I had to go out there and give it my best because I knew what place I was in," Bryant said. "I wanted to get on the podium pretty bad, so I let it all out on that last jump and was luckily able to make it."