Llano’s Gwyn Burnett finishes sixth at Class 3A state meet

CAPTION: Llano junior Gwyn Burnett is running the final part of the 300-meters hurdles in the Class 3A track and field championship May 11 at Mike Myers Stadium on the University of Texas at Austin campus. Photo by Briley Mitchell/Dirt Devil Diver Photography

Llano High School junior Gwyn Burnett (center) had already won long before she set foot on the track at Mike Myers Stadium on the University of Texas at Austin campus May 11.

Burnett had returned to the Class 3A state meet with the intention of adding a medal to the silver she captured in the 300-meter hurdles in 2022.

She finished this year’s race sixth thanks to clocking 45.32 seconds.

“I raced and that was all I had,” she said.

It’s important to note this was her fourth track meet this season in running her signature event.

That’s because a quad injury that’s been stubborn to heal kept her out of the 300-meter hurdles until the District 5-3A meet where she won another district title in 45.42 seconds April 12-13. Then she added a District 5 and 6-3A area championship thanks to finishing in 46.75 seconds a week later.

At the Class 3A Region I meet April 28-29, the Lady Jacket ran to a silver medal in 44.73 seconds.

“This season was very difficult,” she said. “I started working on the hurdles in the fall. Being able to work all year on them, I had high hopes this year. I’m grateful to run. I’m glad I’m here as a three-time state qualifier.”

Burnett said she looked forward to returning to the state track meet for the third year in a row and viewed her qualification as an accomplishment in and of itself.

“I was very excited,” she said. “We went up a little earlier, and I got Olive Garden. I ran in three meets. A month ago, I didn’t know if I was running at all. I was just happy to be there.”

Goliad’s Kyla Hill repeated as the state champion in the event, finishing in 42.75 seconds. New Waverly’s Brooke Munoz, who won the bronze last year, finished fourth in 44.84 seconds.

“It’s not a race you can pick up a month before and expect to be No. 1,” Burnett said. “As a competitor, you always want to win and do great. I was a little emotional. Obviously, I want to do well. There’s no doubt I care about how I perform. Going into the race, I knew that no matter how I do, no one is going to be upset. I’m grateful to be here.”

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