Layla Giordano captures 2023 Meet of Champions shot put crown

Photo Credits: Steve Hockstein for NJ Advanced Media

Layla Giordano wasn’t having her greatest stretch of success in shot put. As of late, she was not satisfied with her results, but all of that was erased on Thursday at Franklin High School. Garnering her first-ever gold medal at the Meet of Champions, Giordano won the shot put with a throw at 44-3 1/4.

“I’m so excited. Coming into today, I was little worried. At my last meet, I was a little off, so I felt fortunate to make it here,” Giordano, a junior, said. “But I know what I am capable of and I’m so happy I was able to pull it off today.”

It was Giordano’s third throw that was her best of the day and her third-best of the season. She also has the state’s second-best mark this season, having gone 45-6 on May 12 at the Bergen County Championships. Surrounded by New Jersey’s strongest, she could feel the top-tier level of competition and allowed that to fuel her to victory. Her first two throws fed the opportunity for her to size up the rest of the field and make the proper adjustments, causing an impressed round of applause by the spectators . “There is so much talent at this meet. Watching them throw got me really excited and I told myself I could throw just as well. I anticipated great competitors and that really me juiced me up to get to this point.” Giordano spent little time celebrating her first-place finish. She had to run over and compete in the discus final just steps away.

“I’m really proud and I’ll reflect on it more later. But I have to stay in the zone for just a little bit longer,” Giordano said with a smile.

SHOT PUT RESULTS

1 Layla Giordano 11 Old Tappan HS 44-3.25

2 Madison Stevens 11 Columbia HS 43-8.75

3 Ciara Demarest 12 Williamstown HS 43-1.50

4 Nilaja Wiltshire 12 Phillipsburg HS 42-4.50

5 Chanel Swain 10 Willingboro HS 38-1.25

6 Catalina Holliday 10 Nottingham 37-10.25

7 Sarah Slowikowski 12 Demarest HS 37-10

8 Meghan Kreinberg 11 Dayton HS 37-7.75

9 Grace Gilbert 9 Ramapo HS 37-6.50

10 Kennedy Miller 10 Red Bank Catholic HS 37-5.75

11 Mitra Sampson 9 Hammonton HS 36-10.25 2

12 Emily Kolodziej 11 Somerville HS 36-8.75 2

13 Elliot Eddy 11 Hasbrouck Heights HS 36-7 1

14 Maya Giordano 11 NV – Old Tappan HS 36-2

15 Guerlande Pierre 11 Timber Creek Reg. HS 35-11.50

16 Sonjay Baylor-Reeves 10 Trenton Central HS 35-9.75

17 Danielle Meribe 12 Roxbury HS 35-9

18 Afua Apau 10 West Windsor-Plainsboro North 35-7

19 Michaela Ruffa 11 Hillsborough HS 35-0.50

20 Alyssa Craigwell 11 Secaucus HS 34-8.75

Source Link: https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2023/06/old-tappans-layla-giordano-captures-2023-meet-of-champions-shot-put-crown.html

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