SLIDELL'S GIONNI WILTZ ACCEPTS THE MVP FIELD AWARD AT THE LSU HS CLASSIC
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A star was born Saturday at the LSU HS Classic. If the Carl Maddox Fieldhouse was the hospital, then the jumps area inside the track was the delivery room. Instead of a birth certificate, Slidell's Gionni Wiltz took home some hardware--a bronze tiger, which goes to the top performers at each LSU indoor meet--to commemorate the moment.
Not to discount the 2024 LHSAA Class 5A State Outdoor Track and Field Championships, where Wiltz (6-6) was the runner-up, but Saturday's meet, the annual opener for the Louisiana high school track and field indoor season, was the coming out party, where Wiltz catapulted from a good athlete into the conversation of Louisiana's all-time greats in the jumps.
It started on the high jump apron where Wiltz sailed--literally--through the high jump competition. He won the competition on his first attempt at 6-8.75, which he cleared with ease.
The bar was moved to 6-9.75 and Wiltz cleared the height on his second attempt.
From there, Wiltz's coach had him move the bar up to 7-0.25, the meet record. Wiltz made three attempts at the bar. His best effort was the final attempt. Wiltz's behind brushed the bar on the way down, causing the bar to bounce ever so slightly. After the third bounce, the left side of the crossbar slid off of the spot where it was positioned on the standard. .
"During the competition, I was going back and forth between the high jump and the long jump so I was trying to stay not tired and conserve my energy as much as I could," Wiltz said. "
Wiltz's performance puts him among the top ten high jumpers in the nation. It also puts him at No. 4 all-time indoors on MileSplit LA database.
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LOUISIANA'S ALL-TIME HS INDOOR HIGH JUMP RANKINGS!
During the high jump competition, Wiltz found himself having to navigate between the high jump apron the long jump runway, where Wiltz won with personal record 22-7.25.
But Wiltz wasn't done just yet. He saved his best for last-in the triple jump where he jumped a 51-1, finishing second to Mont Belvieu, Texas' Jayden Thrower who won with a 51-11.25. Wiltz's effort was over two feet longer than what he said his goal was for the season when interviewed after the high jump.
"Truthfully, I worried about keeping my speed through the jump and holding that second phase," Wiltz said. "To be totally honest with you, it didn't feel like a great jump. When I saw the number, I cannot tell you how elated I was. It felt so good. I was on top of the world just for Jayden Thrower to come take it from me."
On his fourth attempt, Wiltz came down awkwardly on his right ankle. The attempt was marked as a foul.
"I knew I was done after that," Wiltz said. "Luckily, it doesn't hurt that bad. I think it's just a sprain."
For Thrower, who showed off his Mississippi State University T-shirt while he was on the podium, it's the No. 1 jump in the nation.
"Honestly, I think it's just the dedication," Wiltz said. "Last year, I did well, and that's what solidified track for me. Now, it's all ten toes down going for track.
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