Mesa Community College track and field athlete wins national title in weight throw, sets school record

Maleah Tucker, a Mesa Community College associate in science major and track and field athlete, recently earned the national title in women’s weight throw and broke her own school record at the National Junior College Athletic Association indoor track and field championship.

Competing in Kansas at Washburn University, Tucker captured the national championship with a throw of 18.49 meters, establishing a new MCC program record. The mark surpassed the 18.18 meters Tucker set earlier this season, which had broken the previous school record of 18.10 meters set by Michelle Amete in 2005, according to a release

“I am so happy for Maleah, Coach (Nathan) Estes and Coach (Shawn ) Hanrahan,” MCC Head Coach Daniel Pescador said in the release. “She smashed her school record and is going home as the national champion.”

“As I think about the feeling of becoming a national champion this quote from Russell M. Nelson comes to mind, ‘The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives,’” Tucker of San Tan Valley said. “I had many reasons for failure but my focus was on being my best and doing all I could do to succeed while enjoying the process. This accomplishment has allowed me to know that if I keep my focus on becoming better than I was the day before I can become someone who finds joy in every success no matter how big or small.”

The championship performance capped a season where Tucker earned the NJCAA West Region Women’s Field Athlete of the Year honors, was named ACCAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week multiple times and received NJCAA Women’s Field Athlete of the Week recognition.

“Maleah’s unique strength is in her level head; she’s essentially immune to discouragement,” said MCC Throws Coach Nathan Estes. “In a technical sport as frustratingly difficult as throwing, being able to struggle through challenges unfazed is a super power that fast tracks improvement, and it’s what she used to come back from her mission and get into gold medal form in just two months.”

For information about MCC’s athletic program go to mesatbirdsports.com.