Niceville's Hague Wins AAU Junior Olympic Games Title

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - Megan Hague did not expect much from her throw.

By the Niceville junior’s own admission, the shot put is not her best event. She’s much better at throwing the discus; it relies more on technique and less on brute strength.

But seeing as Saturday’s trip to the AAU Junior Olympic Games in Satellite Beach was Hague’s final outing of a sophomore campaign truncated by the COVID-19 pandemic, she vowed to make her final event count.

“Knowing that you’re going in there and it’s gonna be the last, it’s just like ‘I’m gonna put my all into this,’” Hague said. "'I’m not gonna let anything come out of this but my best.’”

Hague’s best was better than anyone else’s in the women’s 17-18 division. She hurled the shot 12.70 meters to claim an AAU national championship. Tyniece Barclay of Bradenton placed second with a throw of 12.47 meters, and Rebecca Merritt of Greentown, Indiana, placed third with a throw of 12.43 meters.

Hague was lost for words, astonished by her own feat.

“It feels so nice just to know that you’re working so hard and then something just pops out like that,” she said. “It’s so nice just to see how much hard work you actually have been doing and put into your own sport.”

Better yet, Hague’s throw was also a personal best that set a Niceville record and earned her a Sunshine State Games title.

“It feels really nice just to know that we’ve worked hard and to show our coaches that we’ve got it in us,” Hague said.

Hague also competed in the discus throw on Wednesday alongside former teammate Marissa Rung, who graduated this past spring. Hague said she appreciated the opportunity to compete with her friend and against real competition for the first time since March.

“This is one of the first meets we’ve actually had besides practicing,” she said. “It was just nice to actually have a meet and be able to compete with others around us instead of just our own team.”

Hague placed sixth in the discus with a throw of 40.86 meters, the best mark of any competitor from Florida. Rung was right behind her, placing seventh with a mark of 37.94 meters.

“It’s just nice to know that I spent the last meet with one of my seniors,” Hague said of competing with Rung. “We’ve been together forever.”

With a wacky sophomore season now in the rearview mirror, Hague said she’s already focused on besting the marks she set Saturday and bettering herself whenever her junior season officially begins.

“Hopefully, it’s just, like, a lot of PRs,” Hague said. “We’ve had so much time that we haven’t had during a season of training on your own, throwing on your own. You just gotta work for it. That’s all it is.”