Vote: Who Was Georgia Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year in 2026?

The 2026 Georgia girls track and field season delivered elite performances from the first weekend of March through the final championship meets in June.

Several athletes finished atop the Georgia rankings. Others claimed GHSA state titles, posted nationally ranked marks, or carried their schools to championship contention through dominant performances in multiple events. Whether it was on the track, in the jumps, or inside the throwing ring, the Peach State showcased one of the deepest collections of girls talent in the Southeast.

The following athletes finished the season with Georgia-leading marks, state championships, national rankings, or combinations of all three. Read through their accomplishments and cast your vote for the 2026 Georgia Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year. The voting poll will close on Thursday, June 25 at 11:59 p.m. (ET).

Melanie Doggett, Landmark Christian (Freshman)

Georgia No. 1 – 100m, 200m

No Georgia athlete was faster than Landmark Christian freshman Melanie Doggett in 2026.

Doggett topped the state leaderboard in both sprint events, running 11.01 in the 100 meters at the Bill Thorn Invitational and 22.71 in the 200 meters at the GHSA State Championships. Both marks ranked among the fastest performances in the nation and established the ninth-grader as one of the country's premier young sprinters.

Her impact extended beyond rankings. Doggett scored heavily during the postseason and consistently separated herself from the state's deepest sprint fields. Leading Georgia in both the 100 and 200 as a freshman gives her one of the strongest Athlete of the Year cases on this ballot. Along with leading Georgia she also ranks No. 1 in the US for both short sprints, will be a fun athelte to watch the rest of her career.

Mary Nesmith, Marietta (Senior)

Georgia No. 1 – 1500m, 1600m

Marietta senior Mary Nesmith put together one of the most complete distance seasons in Georgia, finishing the year ranked No. 1 statewide in the 1500 meters (4:24.05), 1600 meters (4:41.30) and 3000 meters (9:46.86). Her 1500 and mile performances came against elite national competition, including a 4:24.05 personal best at the HOKA Festival of Miles and a 4:42.95 mile at the same meet that ranked among the top performances in state history.

Nesmith was equally dominant during the GHSA postseason. She won the Class 6A state title in the 1600 meters in 4:47.76 after capturing Region 5 and Sectional A championships in the event. She also finished second at the state meet in the 3200 meters after entering the postseason ranked No. 2 in Georgia with a 10:24.98 personal best. Beyond the distance races, Nesmith owned Georgia's No. 2 800-meter mark at 2:09.85 and helped Marietta's relay squads post top-tier performances throughout the season. With state-leading marks in three events and top-two rankings in four separate distances, few athletes matched her combination of versatility and production in 2026.

Marai Bell, Mount Bethel Christian (Senior)

GHSA State Champion – Discus

Mount Bethel Christian senior Marai Bell entered the postseason undefeated in the discus and left as a state champion.

Bell's season culminated with a personal-best throw of 148 feet at the GHSA State Championships after a spring that saw her win virtually every major competition she entered. Her consistency throughout the year established her as one of Georgia's most dominant throwers regardless of classification.

She also contributed in the shot put, regularly surpassing 12 meters with a mark of 37'8" and placing third at the state meet. That versatility gave Bell one of the strongest field-event résumés in the state and helped earn recognition as one of Georgia's most accomplished athletes.

Averi Lowen, Bowdon (Junior)

Georgia No. 1 – 3200m

Bowdon freshman Averi Lowen quickly emerged as one of the nation's top young distance runners.

Lowen's 9:41.95 in the 3200 meters led Georgia and ranked among the fastest times recorded nationally during the outdoor season. She added a 9:45.40 performance in the two-mile and consistently demonstrated the ability to compete against older, more experienced competition.

Her personal best is good for the best time in the nation.

Amarushakur Harris, Booker T. Washington (Junior)

Georgia No. 1 – 100m Hurdles

Booker T. Washington junior Amarushakur Harris finished 2026 as Georgia's top-ranked 100-meter hurdler after running a wind-legal 13.40 at the GHSA State Championships. The performance secured a state title and ranked among the top hurdle marks in the Southeast this season despite being run into a 2.4 m/s headwind.

Harris dominated throughout the postseason, winning Region 5, Sectional A and the GHSA state championship while lowering her season best from 14.67 in February to 13.40 by May. Her consistency was equally impressive, posting five performances of 14.00 or faster during the outdoor season. The junior finished No. 1 in Georgia and inside the national top tier among high school hurdlers.

The versatility of Harris' résumé extends beyond the barriers. She ranked fourth in Georgia in the 100 meters with an 11.46 personal best and finished second in Region 5 in the event. Combining a Georgia-leading hurdle mark with a top-five statewide sprint ranking made Harris one of the state's most complete athletes. Few competitors could match her ability to score championship points in both hurdle and sprint events, strengthening her case as one of Georgia's top overall performers in 2026.

Solé Bailey, Jackson County (Senior)

Georgia No. 1 – 300m Hurdles

Few athletes in Georgia were as dominant across multiple hurdle disciplines as Jackson County senior Solé Bailey. Bailey finished the 2026 season ranked No. 1 in Georgia in the 300-meter hurdles (41.66), 400-meter hurdles (1:00.06) and 600-meter hurdles (8:49), showcasing a rare range from sprint hurdles to extended hurdle events. Her 41.66 at the GHSA State Championships secured the Class 5A state title and ranked among the top performances in the Southeast this season.

Bailey's postseason résumé was equally impressive. She swept the Region 8, Sectional A and GHSA State Championship titles in the 300-meter hurdles while also placing fourth at the state meet in the 100-meter hurdles. Her season-best 13.58 in the 100-meter hurdles ranked fourth in Georgia, first in Class 5A and among the top 50 performers nationally. She also posted a wind-legal 13.69 at the Southeast Meet of Champions against one of the strongest fields in the region.

The versatility doesn't stop at the barriers. Bailey ranked inside Georgia's top 40 in the 200 meters (24.51) and top 50 in the 100 meters (12.11), giving Jackson County valuable sprint points throughout the postseason. Nationally, her 41.66 ranked among the top long-hurdle performances in the country, while her 13.58 placed her among the nation's better dual-event hurdlers. Combining a state championship, three Georgia No. 1 rankings and top-tier national marks across multiple hurdle events gives Bailey one of the most statistically impressive résumés on this ballot.

Janessa Brown, Buford (Sophomore)

Georgia No. 1 – Long Jump

Buford sophomore Janessa Brown emerged as one of Georgia's most versatile athletes in 2026, leading the state in the long jump with a season-best leap of 20 feet, 9.75 inches (6.34m). The mark not only topped the Georgia leaderboard but ranked third among all Georgia high school athletes regardless of class and placed Brown among the nation's top sophomore jumpers.

Brown's dominance extended throughout the postseason. She won Region 8 and Sectional B titles before finishing fourth at the GHSA 6A State Championships with a jump of 20 feet, 6.5 inches. Remarkably, she surpassed the 20-foot barrier in seven different competitions during the outdoor season, demonstrating a level of consistency few jumpers in the country could match.

The sophomore also brought elite sprint speed to Buford's lineup. Brown ranked 10th in Georgia in the 100 meters with an 11.63 personal best, finished second in the region and sectional meets, and helped power Buford relay teams to Region 8 and Sectional B titles in both the 4x100 and 4x200 relays. She also ranked second in Georgia in the 60 meters during the indoor season with a 7.59.

Few athletes on this ballot impacted as many event areas as Brown. A Georgia No. 1 ranking in the long jump, top-10 statewide sprint rankings and contributions to multiple championship relay teams gave her one of the most complete underclassman résumés in the state. At just a sophomore, Brown already established herself as one of Georgia's premier all-around track and field athletes.

Sierra Thornton, Chamblee (Junior)

Georgia No. 1 – Discus & Shotput

Chamblee junior Sierra Thornton authored one of the most complete throwing seasons in Georgia, finishing the year ranked No. 1 statewide in both the girls discus and the 12-pound shot put. Thornton's discus best of 161 feet, 10 inches (49.33m) led Georgia and ranked among the top throws in the Southeast, while her 40 feet, 6 inches (12.34m) mark in the 12-pound shot put also topped the state leaderboard.

Thornton delivered her best performances when the stakes were highest. After winning Region 4 and Sectional B titles in the discus, she capped her season with a GHSA State Championship and a personal-best 161-10, improving nearly 18 feet from her freshman-year best. She surpassed 150 feet in the discus three times during the outdoor season and entered every postseason meet as the top-ranked thrower in Georgia.

The junior's versatility extended beyond the discus ring. She ranked fourth in Georgia in the 4-kilogram shot put with a personal-best 43 feet, 5.5 inches and also finished sixth statewide in the hammer throw at 148 feet. Nationally, Thornton's 161-10 discus throw placed her among the top-performing underclassmen in the country, while her combination of top-six Georgia rankings in three separate throwing disciplines made her one of the most statistically accomplished field athletes in the state.

Few athletes on this ballot can match Thornton's breadth of success. A state championship, Georgia No. 1 rankings in multiple events, and top-six statewide marks in three different throwing disciplines give her one of the strongest all-around field-event résumés in Georgia in 2026.

Mina Lovelace, McEachern (Sophomore)

Georgia No. 1 – 300 Meters | Georgia No. 3 – 100 Meters | Georgia No. 3 – 200 Meters

McEachern sophomore Mina Lovelace established herself as one of Georgia's most complete sprinters during the 2026 season, finishing among the state's top three performers in both the 100 and 200 meters while leading Georgia in the 300 meters. Her season-best 11.31 in the 100 meters ranked third statewide and 33rd nationally among high school athletes, while her 23.32 in the 200 meters also ranked third in Georgia and among the state's fastest performances of the season.

Lovelace consistently delivered during championship competition. She captured Region 3 and Sectional A titles in both the 100 and 200 meters before earning top-eight finishes at the GHSA State Championships in each event. Her sprint résumé extended beyond the traditional distances as well, posting a Georgia-leading 38.50 in the 300 meters, which ranked first in the state and second among all Georgia high school athletes.

Her impact wasn't limited to individual events. Lovelace played a key role on McEachern's sprint relay squads, helping the Indians qualify for the postseason in both the 4x100 and 4x200 relays while contributing to a sectional runner-up finish in the 4x100. Few athletes on this ballot can match her combination of statewide rankings across three sprint events. With Georgia top-three rankings in both the 100 and 200, a state-leading mark in the 300 and multiple region and sectional titles, Lovelace built one of the strongest sprint résumés in Georgia during the 2026 season.

Ava Okeke, Kennesaw Mountain (Junior)

Georgia No. 1 – Pole Vault

Kennesaw Mountain junior Ava Okeke established herself as Georgia's premier pole vaulter in 2026, finishing the season ranked No. 1 statewide after clearing 13 feet (3.96m) at the GHSA State Championships. The mark not only secured the state title but also capped an undefeated postseason that included Region 5 and Sectional A championships.

Consistency defined Okeke's season. She cleared 12 feet or higher in five consecutive competitions, beginning with a 12-foot vault at the Cartersville Purple Hurricane Invitational before matching that height at the Alatona Wed. Night Home Meet #2, Ronnie McClurg Rotary Invitational and Region 5 Championships. She then elevated her performance when it mattered most, becoming the only Georgia girl to clear 13 feet during the outdoor season.

The junior's dominance is reflected in the rankings. Okeke finished No. 1 in Georgia, No. 1 in Class 6A and No. 36 nationally among high school athletes in the pole vault. Few athletes on this ballot can claim a state-leading mark, a state championship and a top-40 national ranking in their event. With Georgia's top vault of 2026 and a clean sweep of the championship portion of the season, Okeke built one of the strongest field-event résumés in the state.

About Our Athlete of the Week Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise,there are no prizes or official awardsfor winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.

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