Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes
Windham’s Briah Daniel watches her shot fall while competing the Division III shot put. She placed sixth at 39-8.50.
Shot put is a solo event, but Briah Daniel embarked on the OHSAA state track and field meet in Dayton even more alone than most others.
The only state qualifier from Windham, Daniel competed in the Division III girls shot put without her head coach, who was back in the Valley for graduation. Despite this, the senior thrower improved on her performance from last year and earned the second state podium finish of her career with a sixth-place showing.
“It means a lot, especially placing up higher than I did last year,” Daniel said. “I’ve worked so hard in the past couple of years for this, and it’s just a great feeling. I don’t think I can really describe it in words.”
Daniel said Windham does not have a dedicated throwing coach like most programs do, although she has had some very helpful mentors to help her along over the years.
“I don’t have a throwing coach, so I’ve had people come in and work with me, like Mr. States, who’s a teacher at my school, Mr. Kujala and just multiple other people who have given their time to help me throw farther,” Daniel said. “I’m so thankful for them because without them, I wouldn’t be where I am right now.
“It’s hard, but my head coach, who isn’t a throwing coach, Mr. Hankins, he has done so much for me over the past four years. He’s reached out to these other coaches to come in and help me. He’s played a huge role in why I am here today and why I was here last year.”
A year ago, Daniel, despite having the fourth-shortest seed throw of the 18 competitors, snuck onto the Division III girls shot put podium in eighth place with a best throw of 39-04. This year, with state experience under her proverbial belt, she cleared her best throw from last year’s meet on her second attempt before setting her final high school PR at 39-8.50 with her fifth throw.
The throw vaulted Daniel up to sixth in the final standings, beating out fellow area throwers Cierra Shiley (seventh place) and Grace Bundy (ninth) of McDonald.
Daniel will continue her academic and track and field careers at Mount Union in the fall.
“I took the visit and I loved the campus and I loved the people,” Daniel said of her decision. “I met with Coach [Fred] Brickner (Mount Union’s throwing coach), and meeting with him and the other athletes, it just felt like the right place for me.”
Daniel said she plans on studying mechanical engineering.
Have an interesting story? Contact Preston Byers by email at pbyers@tribtoday.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @PresByers.