Sports
Jordan wins silver at state meeting
Monday, 04 June 2012 by Chuck Kelly
Levi Jordan won the silver with a throw 171 feet at the state meet in Austin. Jordan a multi-sport star was one of most gifted athletes to come out of Belton in year’s. Photo David MorrisBelton's Levi Jordan has wrapped up his senior season collecting athletic accolades at all levels --- 1st Team All-District 12-5A wide receiver and punter for Tiger football, Class 5A 1st Team All-State punter, Class 5A Region II Discus Champion and a Silver medal in Class 5A Discus at the University Interscholastic League State Track and Field Meet last weekend at Mike Meyers Stadium in Austin.
Jordan unleashed a throw of 171 feet, 1 inch on his first try in the finals to move into second place and the distance held up the rest of the way, earning the young athlete the second spot on the awards podium.
When asked what feelings he had waiting to receive his medal, he answered, "I was really happy. I was just excited to be on the medal stand. It's quite a big honor to place second in the 5A classification in discus. It was really cool to be considered one of the best in the state."
The coaches who recruited and signed Levi to a scholarship at the University of Texas-San Antonio must have permanent grins on their faces by this time.
Jordan bested all of the mostly quite larger throwers in the competition --- all but one, that is. Levi gave the gold medal winner credit, saying "He was a really good thrower. He won both the discus and the shot put. He was about my height but 'a man' with some weight on him."
Jordan has benefitted from his first discus coach at Belton Middle School, David Simmons (now coaching in Salado), his current coach in Belton Charles Rice and an independent coach, John Bishop.
"Levi has worked very hard, is a very good athlete....strong, quick and very explosive with good technique," stated Rice. "UTSA made a good choice and he will certainly be successful at the next level."
Jordan is training now for his next competition, the AAU Junior Olympics in August. He plans to compete in the Decathlon, an exciting and exhausting experience that includes 10 events over two days.
The events include the 100 meter dash, 1500 meter run, 400 meter dash, 110 meter hurdles, discus, shot put, javelin, high jump, long jump and pole vault.
"This will be the first time I've ever done it," he admitted, but that's what he has his sights set on. That's one of the reasons that he chose to attend UTSA.
"The university has a very good track program, especially the great decathlon program," explained Jordan. "I really like the decathlon. It's exciting and it takes a committed, determined athlete to be successful at it. I think it's something I can do."
Academically, Jordan will be studying physics or engineering. He isn't certain at this stage in life (18) exactly what he wants to do but whatever it is, it isn't hard to predict that Levi will be successful at it!
