Sports Texoma

Whitesboro’s Hayden Baillio had the third-best shot put by a high school athlete in history over the weekend with his winning performance at the Games of Texas in San Antonio.

Baillio, who will throw for the University of Texas next year, had a toss of 75 feet, four and three quarter inches. His previous personal best was 72 feet, two and a quarter inches this past fall at the Texas relays.

The previous best throw in the country this season was by New Jersey’s Nick Vena at 72 feet, eight inches.

“When it comes to finally getting to this level of throwing, me and my coach, Mark Simmons, have always known I was capable,” Baillio told Dyestat.com. “It was just a matter of when it would click.”

Former Olympian and fellow Texan Michael Carter holds the national high school record with a throw of 81 feet, three and a half inches in 1979. Another Texan, Sammy Walker, has the second-best throw, which is also more than 80 feet.

The huge throw came on Baillio’s third of the six in the series. His first throw of 66 feet, five and a half inches, was his only under 71 feet.

The runner-up at the Games of Texas was Richard Garrett of Naaman Forest, who was nearly 15 feet behind Baillio. Baillio also won the discus throw at 185 feet, one inch.

Baillio has won state championships in the shot put for the last three seasons and set the state meet record in Class 3A with his 68-foot, seven and a quarter inch winning toss this past June.

Baillio will close out his summer by competing in the State Games of America in Monument, Colo., this weekend with one last chance to move past the 80-foot threshold.