As a para-athlete, Abigail Counts has had her share of challenges to overcome in life.
But most of them are not in the way that one would imagine.
Winning three gold medals at this year’s state track and field meet, it was Counts’ struggle for perfection that proved to be the biggest hurdle for her to overcome.
“The main challenge that I faced was trying to break the state record in the shot put,” Counts said. “In 2022, I got third in the shot put and was since determined to improve my performance. This past year, a competitor had a qualifying throw of 19 feet 3 inches, which was about 8 inches further than my qualifying throw.
“With the help of my coaches and teammates, I was able to improve my skills and surpass my expectations at the 2023 state meet.”
And surpassing her expectations was an understatement based off what turned out to be an unprecedented performance.
The Flower Mound graduate set three state records in one day in the shot put, 100 meter, and 400 meter wheelchair events.
Coach Andrew Cook, who described Counts’ performance as “simply amazing,” said her dedication really paid off.
“We wanted her to improve in all events, but especially in the shot put,” Cook said. “Abigail spent more time practicing and it helped her to win the shot put by over a foot and set a new state record.”
Cook said the Flower Mound grad has set an example for the Jaguars track and field program that will be difficult to match.
“Abigail is a hard worker who doesn’t make excuses,” Cook said. “She inspires and motivates the entire team.”
Counts said she is honored to have achieved what she has and is “very grateful for my success at the state meet,” especially given that it was her final year of high school.
“I am so proud of how far I’ve come since I first began track,” Counts said. “I’m so thankful for the support from all my family and friends and for God blessing me with the ability to do things like this.”
Counts, 17, said she enjoys the 400 meter event the most because she loves the adrenaline boost in the last 150 meters of the race.
“You can feel your body giving up, but you have to push harder than ever to succeed in that moment.”
Counts, who was born with spina bifida, also plays wheelchair basketball and participates in a few other sports for recreation, such as adaptive water sports and adaptive rock climbing.
The Flower Mound teen plans to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she will play wheelchair basketball and study biology.
She hopes to pursue a career in nursing.
Counts said she would like for her legacy at Flower Mound High School to be one of inspiration.
“I hope that my coaches remember me and that any possible future wheelchair athletes at FMHS are encouraged to perform to the best of their abilities,” Counts said.
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