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Airport's Jayla Jamison was named South Carolina Gatorade Track & Field Player of the Year today, Gatorade announced.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Jamison as South Carolina's best high school girls track & field athlete. Jamison is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year award to be announced in June.
The state's returning Gatorade Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year, the 5-foot-7 sophomore collected a trio of All-American recognitions with third-place finishes in the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash and the long jump at the 2019 New Balance Nationals Outdoor. At NBNO, Jamison set a state record in the 200 with her time of 23.19 seconds, while her marks in the 100 (11.56 seconds) and long jump (19 feet, 11.75 inches) both ranked in the Top 20 nationally among prep competitors in 2019. An eight-time state champion, she has been named the South Carolina Coaches Association for Women Sports 4A Female Athlete of the Year three times.
South Carolina girls state leaderboard
Jamison has volunteered locally with the Special Olympics. "Jayla is unlike any student-athlete I have known," said Travis Barnes, head coach at Airport High School. "Her athletic ability can't be overstated. She has been blessed with physical talents on an elite level. Jayla is also a highly competitive individual, which gives her a tremendous work ethic. When you combine her athleticism with her drive to be the best, you get something really special."
Jamison has maintained a weighted 3.63 GPA in the classroom. She will begin her junior year of high school this fall.
Two-time winner Jamison joins recent Gatorade South Carolina Girls Track & Field Athletes of the Year Imagine Patterson (2017-18, Summerville High School), Carisma Holland (2016-17, Seneca High School), Laurie Barton (2015-16 & 2014-15, D.W. Daniel High School), and Raven Saunders (2013-14, Burke High School) among the state's list of former award winners.