Vacation, extreme temperatures and humidity are just some of the things that a normal high school student might experience during their summer vacation. However, ranking amongst some of the best high school javelin throwers in the nation is hardly something a normal high school student manages to accomplish. That’s exactly what sophomore Sam Hankins did during his summer. He competed in JavFest, a three day long camp/competition, and won the open competition with a throw of 201-04 and went on to place second in the elite competition with a throw of 204-03.

“I did not bad, I mean I won first place in the open competition, but it still wasn’t my best competition ever and it felt ok, but I was really just getting hyped up for the elite competition,” Hankins said. “Basically it was just another meet, we didn’t really train for this specific event, it was just basic training coming up to it, I took sometime off to get my arm ready because I knew it was a long week of throwing, and then I went out there and did my thing.”

Anyone can register and attend JavFest. It is organized by the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation and Project Javelin Gold. This year, the event included about 80 athletes. It features the open competition where any athlete that registered can compete in, and then the elite competition which is only available for throwers over 180 feet.

“I benefited from the experience, getting to work with some of the best throwers in the nation and some of the best coaches in the nation, it was just a great experience and opportunity all around. [The coaches] are the biggest part and I couldn’t have done it without them and I couldn’t have learned what I learned without them, they gave me all the information and materials to succeed all I had to was put it together and do what feels natural and do what they tell me to do,” Hankins said.

Hankins was offered and accepted a position on the NSAF Project Javelin Gold team during the camp/competition. The team includes the best javelin throwers in the nation. Six out of the top 10 high school throwers in the nation competed in JavFest.

“I think he did great for being 15 years old,” Hankins’ personal coach, Ivan Hartung said. “There’s not too many kids his age that can throw 200 feet in world let alone in the nation, so when he is competing against guys that are three years older than him that have three years more training and just physically three years older I think he did great, I mean if you’re15 years old and you’re throwing 205 feet and winning state and having the furthest state throw for Kansas I think he is well on his way to getting his name out there and I think that going to all the camps that he has gone to is great and it’s always great to get other coaches and other eyes on him.”

Hankins plans to compete in next years JavFest along with the Junior Olympics and his high school track season.