University of Florida signee, Alexis Brown has battled the ups and downs of the injury bug for about a year. The Kennedale senior entered the 2019 outdoor season off the backs of the 2018 season that saw her finish second in both the 100m and 200m and third in the long jump as a junior.
Senior year expectations were high for Brown, but nagging injuries kept her from finding a rhythm this season in both her running and jumping events.
Nevertheless, she was able to get some sort of a positive health report card throughout the UIL Texas championship season.
Not completely 100%, Brown managed to get district and area wins in the 100m, 200m, and the long jump. She then added the Region 2-4A Meet long jump win with a 19-7 SB at the time and a 7 inch improvement from district.
In the sprints, at the Region 2-4A Meet, Brown battled through the rounds while managing her foot injury. She placed second in the 100m by going 11.56w, but was was fourth in the 200m and failing to qualify for state.
At the state meet, Brown was still not 100%, but still managed to come away with both quality times and finishes. She won both the 100m (11.77) and long jump (19-8.75w).
With two state titles in hand to end her senior year, satisfaction wasn't quite the taste Brown had in her mouth or the feeling in her heart, "After state my main goal was to get back healthy and maintain health," she said.
Brown had intentions on getting back to full strength and a full bill of health to be able to compete one more time. With over a month between the UIL state meet and the Great Southwest Classic (GSW), she set her mind towards it as being the chance to show what she was fully capable of doing.
"After state, I took about a week off to do more rehab on my foot and make sure I was 100% again. The Great Southwest was always on my agenda to compete with some of the best girls in the nation," she said. Brown met with her trainers and practiced to make sure everything was sharp.
Not only was the GSW the chosen meet, but the long jump was the chosen event. "I'm starting to love the long jump the more I jump. It's so fun and I just love the atmosphere around the jump pit."
The plan was a success! The level of health is now an A and the GSW results were good, in fact they were 20-9.75 and season national leading type of good.
Brown won the long jump competition at the GSW and with the best wind legal jump in the nation. "I just wanted to have fun and represent my home state for the last time. It was a great feeling knowing that not only did I win the meet, but knowing I did it jumping a PR and a wind legal national leading mark, my journey as a high school athlete has been amazing and I couldn't be happier with the way it ended."
Just as Brown is getting on the right track, it is right at the time she will be heading to the college ranks. "I leave for Florida in two weeks, so I'll enjoy these last two weeks with family and friends, then get to Gainesville and start focusing on having a sensational freshman year at Florida.
