Perkins wins javelin state title, leads Niceville girls track & field to 3rd-place in 4A

In the warmup to her 4A state javelin event, Elaina Perkins did the unthinkable: She broke the state record.

She said the official asked her, "Are you trying to break the record? Because you just threw 45 meters."

Of course that mark was unofficial, but it proved to be a harbinger of good things to come as Perkins cleared 146 feet, 2 inches, on her first throw en route to gold in her final tuneup to life in the SEC at the University of Florida.

"It's surreal because I've been working for this moment all year," Perkins said. "I actually did it on a seven-step, not my full approach."

The adjustment speaks volumes of Perkins' trust in her feel for the javelin, where she has no peer. Her throw was 16 feet of runner-up Olivia Ennis from Plant City.

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"Elaina's one of most competitive, locked-in athletes I've ever coached and she doesn't worry about any one else," Niceville throws coach Emily Webb said. "For her to open up like that on her first throw, that was one incredible moment."

Perkins' finish highlighted a third-place team finish for Niceville, who despite just 15 qualifiers finished with 42 points to outpace George Jenkins (41 points) and St. Thomas Aquinas (40) and finish behind only runner-up Miami Southridge (52) and 4A state champion Creekside (84.50).

Shelby Plasier followed in seventh in the javelin on a day the Eagles dominated the relays with a third-place finish in the 4x800m (9:24.39), a fourth-place showing in the 4x400m (3:52.96) and a sixth-place finish in the 4x100 (48.02).

Kimah Allen shined in her throws, finishing fourth in the shot put (39-3 3/4) and fifth in the discus (128-7); Yaremi Figueroa placed fourth in the 400m hurdles (41.73) and Madelynn Gall finished seventh in the discus: (122-10).

In the wheelchair events, Abigail Gunter captured a pair of state titles with a shot put throw of 17-2 and a 100m finish of 26.74 finish.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Perkins wins javelin state title, leads Niceville girls track & field to 3rd-place in 4A