Jul. 9—Sa’Nya Fleming got it done at the Calhoun County track championship, sectional and state, and she did it in multiple events.
For her brilliance in the long and triple jumps, Fleming is The Anniston Star’s Calhoun County athlete of the year for girls track.
The Saks senior swept the three biggest meets of the year in the triple jump, finishing first at county (35 feet-05.00 inches), sectional (34-07.75) and state (35-00.25).
She did the same in the long jump, taking gold at county (16-06.00), sectional (16-01.00) and state (1, 16-11.00).
It was the finish Fleming hoped to have as a junior, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellation of the season before the county meet. She took silver as a sophomore.
“She’s absolutely deserving,” Saks track coach Craig Norton said. “She is one of the most dominant athletes I’ve had the privilege to coach.”
Fleming was also valedictorian and won academic aid to attend Jackson State, where she’ll major in biology with an eye toward a career in physical therapy. She took a few minutes to discuss it all in The Star’s player-of-the-year Q&A:
Question: Now that you’ve had a chance to look back on your senior track season, what do you think about it?
Answer: Honestly, I was really proud of what I was able to do, especially since we didn’t get to have a season because of COVID my junior year. I was a little worried that would hinder my performance, but I was really proud of the outcome and what I was able to make of it.
Q: Was it what you thought would happen in 2020?
A: Yes, it’s what I was hoping would happen last year, but I was also hoping I’d have another medal in the four-by-one (4×100-meter relay).
Q: How much did last year getting cut short motivate you?
A: It really motivated me just because I knew this was my last year, so basically, it’s go big or go home.
Q: What was it like, being valedictorian?
A: My speech was a recap of my last four years, and I also said thanks to the people who helped me get to where I am now. The bit was me speaking to my classmates and giving them motivation for what we have for the rest of our lives.
Q: How did you end up choosing Jackson State?
A: It was a school that I was thinking about, and then they just gave me a really good offer. I was just thankful to receive it, and I just took it.
Q: What are you hoping to do with physical therapy … general practice, sports focus?
A: I think I was mainly trying to work with athletes, so I guess you could say it’s sports physical therapy.
Sports Writer Joe Medley: 256-235-3576. On Twitter: @jmedley_star.