ROME — Bailee Williams finishes her high school athletic career in first place. The Tift County High senior won the state shot put title for Class 6A Thursday, breaking her own school record in the process.
Perfect Timing’s breakdown of each competitor’s throw show Williams’ first throw of 41-2 would have been enough for the title. Williams hit that distance against in her fourth attempt, but then she tried again. On attempt No. 5, Williams threw 43-1.5, to set a new school record.
Williams set the Tift County mark earlier this year with a toss of 42-even at a Lowndes quad meet.
She is the first Tift athlete to win gold at the state meet since Katie Utley did in pole vault in 2013. Williams placed eighth last year, sixth in 2022 and 11th as a freshman.
Second place at the 2024 state 6A meet went to Langston Hughes’ Jasmine Baxter, whose best throw was 40-5. Baxter won over Williams at this year’s sectional.
Track preliminaries continue today at state. Tift has Antonio Burgess in the 110 hurdles, Jalon Miller in the 400, Nairobi Graham in the 200 and 400, and with teammates Caitlyn Burgess, Diamond Wallace and Taliyah Thomas in the 4×100 and 4×200.