Karnes City’s Brittany Kinney places 1st in Triple Jump

In 1988, a young Karnes City High School student sprinted all the way to the state track and field championships, where she medaled in two events, and returned two more years after.

Seventeen years later, another track athlete found herself at the state meet, out-jumping her competitors by almost a foot to win the 2A Triple Jump gold medal.

Coincidence? Probably not, seeing as how they are mother and daughter.

"My experience as a state qualifier was wonderful, and after I had that, I really just wanted my kids to be able to experience it too," said Tonja Kinney, mother of recent triple jump gold medalist Brittany Kinney. Brittany won the 2A triple jump title, beating out her closest competitor by almost a foot.

"I was really happy knowing all the hard work paid off," Brittany said. "I did what I said I was going to do, surpassing my goal."

Brittany jumped 37 feet, 10 inches, shattering her own school records set during regional and district. At district, she jumped 36 feet, 4 inches, and at regional she leaped 36 feet, 5.75 inches.

"I’m very proud of the way Brittany competed at State," Head Track Coach Donnie Dziuk said. "She stayed calm and turned it loose when it counted."

Only a freshman, Brittany "turned it loose" after being seeded seventh going into the competition in front of thousands of spectators at the Mike Meyers Stadium at the University of Texas at Austin last weekend.

"I was really nervous," Brittany recollects from the May 9 event. "Every time I looked in the stands, my stomach started to hurt."

One of these spectators, however, was extremely important to Brittany. Her mother watched her jump her way to victory 18 years after she stood on that same field.

"My first experience at state is something I’ll never forget," Brittany’s mom said. "It’s just like how some people say they will never forget the birth of their children. I will never forget sitting on that field, looking at all the spectators in the stands."

Tonja Kinney advanced to state her sophomore, junior, and senior years. A sprinter, she competed in the 100 and 200m dashes.

"It’s crazy because I could not do field events at all. I was a runner," she said with a laugh. "She seems to have covered the jumping area in the family."

Track and field, to the Kinneys, does indeed seem like a family affair. Both mother and daughter hold several school records: Tonja Kinney in the 100 and 200 with a time of 24.8, and Brittany Kinney in the triple jump and as anchor leg in the 800m Relay team that also broke a record this season with a time of 1:48.27. Tonja Kinney also holds the Region IV 100m dash record with a time of 12.05.

"It’s cool to know our names are together on that record sheet," Brittany Kinney said.

Brittany credits part of her success to her mother’s expectations for her.

"She is harder on me," Brittany said. "She doesn’t listen when I whine, but I know it’s because she loves me."

Brittany also has a younger brother Paul, who is a Roger E. Sides Elementary School fifth-grader.

"I expect more out of her because I’ve been there and want her to stay focused," Tonja. Kinney said.

Brittany’s future, having three more years of high school, seems far away. However, both mother and daughter are already considering it.

"I really want her to see that there is more out there, out of this small town," she said. "I want her to experience everything she can and know that it can happen if she stays on the right track."

Only time will tell if Brittany’s success will continue though she has a very positive outlook for the future.

"I want to make it back to state every year," Brittany said. "Hopefully, I will keep improving and get a scholarship somewhere after high school."