Kristina Humphreys

Dayville sophomore Kristina Humphreys and Grant Union junior Jozie Rude will journey for an experience of a lifetime to next summer’s Down Under Sports track and field competition in Queensland, Australia.

Both athletes excelled in field events last season.

Humphreys, in the 1A High Desert League, broke the state record in javelin in May with a throw of 129-2, also a personal record. Humphreys said, as a fifth-grader, she watched the high school students throw javelin during practice.

“It gave me motivation to try it myself,” she said. “I also remember Skip Inscore (now retired track and field coach) showing me Paula Berry’s awards, which made me feel confident that you can do anything you put your mind to.”

She is coached by Peter Bogardus.

Rude, in the 2A Wapiti League, had her best javelin throw of the season at the state championships, placing second with a mark of 117-11. She also earned third in pole vault and fourth in shot put at Hayward Field in Eugene. She broke the Wapiti League record in shot put, with a 34-4 throw.

The Grant Union team is led by head coach Sonna Smith, with Kelsy Wright as the javelin coach.

At the Down Under event, Rude plans to compete in those three events, as well as hammer and discus.

This will be the first trip out of the country for the athletes, and both plan to spend three days in Hawaii on the trip home.

The cost of the nine-day trip is $6,500, and both plan on fundraising the money for the adventure.

Rude is now selling Super Bowl Squares, and she’ll host a golf tournament on May 6 at the John Day Golf Course. For more information on Rude’s fundraising activities, her mother, Aimee, may be reached by email at aimee@rudeinc.net.

Humphreys will also hold fundraisers for the trip.

“I am most looking forward to meeting other athletes, and looking into the different strategies and pointers that the coach may give me to help,” Humphreys said.

Grant Union sophomore Kaylee Wright also plans to attend the Down Under Sports track and field event as previously reported in the Eagle.