Patience pays off for Los Fresnos' Cox

Corina Cox is no stranger to the discus.

The Los Fresnos sophomore is making her first appearance at the University Interscholastic League track & field state meet Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium at the University of Texas in Austin.

It’s her fourth year of competing in this event, as she started in seventh grade after her dad, Wade, got her into it after she spent a few years competing in the shot put and the high jump.

And now, after competing for two years as a Falcons athlete, Cox is heading off to state thanks to a second-place finish at the regional meet, where she threw a 132-6, just four inches off the lead.

"(I’m) pretty excited, I was really happy," Cox said of going to state. "I really didn’t believe it at first."

Cox’s personal best, which she achieved earlier this year at San Benito, is a 133. While she didn’t quite top that at the regional, she did well enough to reach state, which she says was aided by finally getting into the weight room.

"Working out a lot, I guess I’m addicted to working out," Cox said. "Then I get an end result."

This year, that was a trip to Austin. And no, it wasn’t something she saw coming.

"I wasn’t expecting to do (well) this year," Cox said. "I don’t know … I just popped it out there because I was calm, I guess."

Her coach, though, knew it required a little more than just that.

"(She’s) very hard working," Los Fresnos coach Deloris Olguin said. "It’s definitely all effort. She works on it all year long."

Now, as Cox heads to state, she’ll be matched up with eight different competitors. If everyone hits their averages, she’ll finish in the middle of the pack. With that, this meet is more about Cox doing the best she can do than simply stressing about coming in first and only coming in first.

"I’m really more (focused) on beating my personal record," Cox said.

Still, Olguin won’t let her settle for just finishing in the middle of the pack. She expects more out of Cox and thinks that placing above her average is certainly possible.

"I think she’s capable of doing better than fifth," Olguin said. "(She has to) relax and go with her natural talent, because she’s got it." 

Todd Orodenker covers sports for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 982-6663 or via e-mail at torodenker@brownsvilleherald.com.