St. Pius’ Tanner Duffin receives top honor from Atlanta Track Club
St. Pius X rising senior Tanner Duffin was named the most outstanding male field athlete at Atlanta Track Club’s Powerade All-Metro Track & Field Banquet June 6, the club announced.
The award is given annually to the top male high school field athlete in metro Atlanta. Tanner was the 2018 Class AAAA state champion in the discus throw (189-03). Prior to winning the award, Tanner was named to the 2018 Powerade All-Metro Track and Field Boys Team.
“I love doing this. Even if I wasn’t good I’d still love doing it,” Duffin said to banquet host Lewis Johnson of NBC Sports. “I always want to be the very best I can be.”
Duffin threw a personal best of 203-8 on May 28 at the Memorial Day Open in Marietta. The mark was best in the state this year by more than 10 feet and the third best in the country, according to the Atlanta Track Club.
All “Most Outstanding Athlete” honorees receive a $1,500 scholarship from Atlanta Track Club. The club’s banquet recognizes the best athletes from 12 counties in metro Atlanta. Forty-nine athletes from 27 schools were honored, including recent Cedar Grove graduate Keshun Byrd, who was named to the 2018 Powerade All-Metro Track and Field Boys Team in the triple jump.
Byrd won gold in the boys’ Class AAA triple jump (47-04.50). Cedar Grove coach Jermaine Smith and Ryan McClay of St. Pius X also were honored at the banquet for leading their teams to a state championship.
Athletes are selected based on such criteria as season bests, their performances at major meets throughout the season, and their finishes at the Georgia High School Association state championships, according to the Atlanta Track Club. The community and coaches then vote online for outstanding male and female track athletes and most outstanding male and female field athletes.
