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CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL STANDOUT NAMED GATORADE MISSISSIPPI
GIRLS TRACK & FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
CHICAGO (June 19, 2014)
—
In its 29th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with
USA TODAY High School Sports , today announced Demi Washington of Clinton High School as its 2013-14
Gatorade Mississippi Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year.
Washington is the first Gatorade Mississippi Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year to be chosen from Clinton High School. The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the track, distinguishes Washington as Mississipp’s best high school girls track & field athlete. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year award to be announced in June, Washington joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners in 12 sports, including Allyson Felix (2001-02, Los Angeles Baptist, Calif.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.), Mark Sanchez (2004-5, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.), Lolo Jones (1997-98, Roosevelt HS, Ia.) and Bianca Knight (2006-07,Ri dgeland HS, Miss.).
The 5-foot-2 freshman won two individual state titles and anchored two winning relays to lead the Arrows to the Class
6A state championship as a team this spring. Washington won the 100-meter dash in 11.81 seconds and captured the
200-meter dash in 24.06. She also led the 4x100 relay to a title in a state - record 46.14 seconds, then paced the 4x200
team to another state-record time of 1:37.58. Washington was named Miss Track and Field by the Clarion-Ledger for
the second straight year. Washington has maintained a 3.50 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally on behalf of the Salvation Army
and her church’s youth ministry. “Demi is one of the best female athletes that I have ever coached,” said Clinton head coac
h Johnathan Perkins. “She is very dedicated and determined to try and be the best girls track athlete to ever run in the state of Mississippi. She’s a
very good leader for our team, and she has many great years ahead of her.” Washington will begin her sophomore year of high school this fall.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the
50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys
and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each
sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with
USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep
sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport. Washington joins recent Gatorade Mississippi Girls Track & Field Athletes
of the Year Zaria Tillman (2012-13 Hattiesburg High School), Erika Sisk (2011-12, Oxford High School), Taryn Hartfield (2010–11, Hattiesburg High
School), Cory McGee (2009-10, 2008–09 & 2007-08, Pass Christian), and Bianca Knight (2006-2007, Ridgeland) among the state’s list of former award winners.
To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us
on Twitter. For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of
past winners and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit www.gatorade.com/poy
.
