Bulldogs state qualifier hopes to bring home 1 or 2 gold medals
For the third straight spring, Muldrow Bulldogs track athlete Teaguen Collins finds himself ending the track season at the biggest meet of them all — the Class 4A State Meet, which will be today and Saturday at Plainview Stadium at Plainview High School, located on the far west side of Ardmore.
At last Saturday’s Class 4A Regional Meet at McAlester’s Hook-Eales Stadium, the junior qualified for this weekend’s state meet in the high jump as the regional champion and in the 400-meter dash as the regional runner-up.
“It felt good that I was going to get to compete again at state,” Collins said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Collins had a shot at one or two at-large bids to state in the long jump and the 200-meter dash, but he just fell short in making the cut.
However, having a shot at least one state championship is acting as a motivator this weekend.
“It would be just a great accomplishment,” Collins said. “It would be my first gold medal at state.”
It could be a doubly-nice weekend for the Muldrow junior if he can win both the state titles in the high jump and the 400-meter dash.
“Hopefully, I’ll bring home two,” Collins said. “I would be greatly appreciative. I would be really excited.”
Unfortunately for the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs, only Collins earned at least one berth to this weekend’s Class 4A State Meet, so it means Collins is the sole representative today and Saturday for Muldrow High School and the community. However, it’s not slowing him down one bit.
“It feels good,” Collins said. “I did it last year.”
In each of his years running and jumping at the Class 4A State Meet, Collins has seen steady improvement, such as last year as a sophomore from his first-ever state meet in 2023. He is hoping to see improvement this weekend from last May — where Collins was state runner-up in the high jump (6-4) and eighth in the 400-meter dash (51.66 seconds).
“I’m hoping to progress this year and do better,” he said. “It’s gradually improved little by little. I feel like I can do better than last year.”
