Sports Person of the Week - Malaiya Jedkins

Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - The McNeese indoor track team made history at the Southland Conference Indoor Championship, winning the school’s first-ever title. Senior Malaiya Jedkins was a big reason why the Pokes brought home a lot of hardware.

“It really means a lot because a lot of people doubted us, a lot of people said they weren’t going to be anything we weren’t going to do much this year and for us to come back and just win like that it is amazing,” said Jedkins.

Despite a big day, it didn’t start that way for Jedkins in the triple jump. But using her family as motivation, she soared to a mark of 41-5.25 on her final jump, breaking the school record winning one of her two gold medals on the day.

“Going into the last round of triple jump I was knocked out from first to fourth within one round and I had failed just about all my jumps so with me going in the last jump breaking the school record, putting myself back in first I know that made my family and everybody that was supporting me proud and that’s all I ever wanted was to just make my family my grandmother my mom all of them proud of me because I know that’s what they really wanted,” said Jedkins.

With the outdoor season about to commence later this month, head coach Brendon Gilroy believes Jedkins and the rest of the girls will continue to keep up their winning ways.

“Oh she’s fired up. I think she wants to go to NCAA’s, and I don’t put it past her. Hopefully, she stays healthy and keeps working hard and those girls they’re on a mission,” Gilroy said.

Outdoor track season starts on March 12 when the pokes compete at the USA Invitational in Mobile, Alabama.

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