ROBINSON IN TRACK AND FIELD
Robinson has a legitimate shot at putting his name atop the state record books in track and field.
Photo by John Rowland
The day after he won the state wrestling title, Robinson was back home throwing the shot put and discus with a friend.
Garrett Gray has specialized in the weights under head coach Rudy Skorupa, who retired at the end of the spring. He pointed out that the talented teenager threw the discus 158 feet, 5 inches as a freshman when people his age normally were doing well to reach an even 100 feet. He believes the state discus record could become Robinson's property in the spring of 2014.
Gray confided, "I'm kind of nervous to say it, but Gelen is a very special young man - if he doesn't do it (break the record), he's going to be very close. He's added about 20 feet each year."
More track and field nuggets:
* He qualified for the state finals in the discus as a freshman, but was shocked when he realized he was the shortest in the field of 24. "They were just crazy tall," the then-6-footer said.
* As a sophomore he placed third in the state discus and seventh in the shot put.
* During his junior year he was state runner-up in both the discus and shot put, but was not a happy camper because the winning discus throw (194) was something he had reached most days in practice.
* He holds school records in the discus (200-4) and shot put (59-6 1/2).
* The drive to break the state discus record (217-1) may keep him from graduating early and heading for Purdue.
