BYRD'S MALLORY SWINT RUNS TO HER FIRST OF FIVE STRAIGHT 800m VICTORIES AT THE YELLOW JACKET RELAYS
It's the final girls' poll of the year--the MileSplit LA 2025 Girls' Outdoor Athlete Of The Year. Each of the athletes on the ballot qualified for this poll by winning a Performer Of The Week poll during the 2025 season. Congratulations to all of the finalists. This poll will close on Saturday at 9pm.
MALLORY SWINT (C.E. BYRD)-- Kicked off her last high school season by winning five straight 800m races including a personal record 2:29.94 at the Mansfield Wolverine Relays. In April, she would run another personal record--5:41 at the LA Mile Festival. She was a regular contributor on Byrd's school record 4x800 team, which ran a season best 10:04 at the Region 1-5A Championships.
ANNA JOUBERT (MT. CARMEL)-- Another 800m specialists, Joubert, who is only a sophomore, finished first or second in every 800m race in Louisiana except the LHSAA State Outdoor Championships. The highlight of her season was winning the District 9-5A Championship with a personal record time of 2:16.53.
KYLA DAUX (BENTON)-- The school record-breaking hurdler from Benton finished on the podium of every 100m and 300m hurdle race she competed in during the 2025 season. The highlight of her season was winning both hurdle races at the Region 1-5A Championships with personal record times in both events. She won the 100m hurdles with a 14.47 and followed that up with a 44.09 in the 300m hurdles at the end of the meet.
CIARA GRAY (JONESBORO HODGE)-- 35. By our count, that's the number of gold medals that Gray won in 2025. There was only one hurdle race that she did not win, and only one meet where she didn't come out on top in both the long jump and triple jump. Her most impressive hurdle race of the year came in the last one--the 300m hurdles at the LHSAA Class 1A Girls State Outdoor Championships. She ran a 44.32. That is No. 11 on Louisiana's all-time list for high school juniors.
GRACE KEENE (NORTHSHORE)-- What a year it was for Northshore's freshman sensation! It started during the indoor season with a runner-up finish at the LHSAA State Indoor Championships with a runner-up finish in the 1600m with a 5:07.30. She carried that momentum outdoors where she had an undefeated season outdoor season in the 1600m. She claimed her first (of many) LHSAA State Championships by winning the 1600m with a time of 4:59.94, joining an elite group of eight female runners who are the only distance runners in Louisiana history to run sub 5:00. She is the first freshman in Louisiana history to break 5:00. Incredibly, Keene returned in the 800m and put a fight with Dutchtown's Keira Melan and Lafayette's Riley Siner. Keene finished with a 2:12.13. That time ranks No. 2 All-Time for Louisiana freshmen girls behind Siner (2:11.87).
VIVIAN CAYTON (DUTCHTOWN)-- The junior had a great year in the hurdle events winning the 100m hurdles Dutchtown Invitational with a personal record 14.65--one of her four gold medals in the event in 2025. In the 300m hurdles, Cayton began the year with a personal record time of 45.61, which was good enough for first place at the Episcopal Relays.
GABRIELLA GLOVER (OUACHITA)--If you are a looking for a Newcomer Of The Year, look no further than Gabriella Glover. The sophomore started the year off strong and continued to improve every week. The highlight was a personal record wins in the both the 100m (11.70) and 200m (24.11) at the Region 1-5A Championships. A week later, she proved that the scene at Bernie Moore Stadium was not too big for her as she made the podium in both sprint events at the LHSAA Class 5A State Outdoor Championships.
AMAYA SHINE (ROSEPINE)--Shine capped off a great high school career by pulling the sprint double at the LHSAA Class 2A State Outdoor Championships. She won the 100m (12.20w) before returning at the end of the meet to win the 200m (24.85). Shine's 24.85 was a personal record.
HANNAH ROSE (CABRINI)--Rose finished third in a highly competitive LHSAA Class 3A State Outdoor javelin competition with a throw of 122-7. Her personal record in the event came at the District 10-3A Championships, where she won with a throw of 135-4. She also finished as the district runner-up in the shot put with a throw of 30-5.