Weston Ranch thrower Galadriel Mellion has gone from last to first
Galadriel Mellion had got tired of coming in last. So she decided to give up track, at least the part about running.
Instead she opted to focus on field events. She didn't know much about them and neither did her father, who encouraged her during those elementary school days.
“I said ‘why don’t you go over there and try to shot put’ and she went over there and did shot put for that track meet,” Adrien Mellion said. “And that's how her career took off.”
It certainly did.
Galadriel Mellion, 17, would go on to compete in the Junior Olympics three times, become a six-time All-American, and an overall three-time national champion. Once in shot put and twice in discus.
Her personal best for shot put is 64 feet and 161 feet in discus. She set school records in both events at Weston Ranch High and at Lathrop High in her freshman year before transferring. She also was named Athlete of the Month for August 2018 by the Stockton Hall of Fame.
At 5 foot 6 Mellion is in her junior year at Weston Ranch and is inspiring others to begin throwing as well. Weston Ranch track and field coach April West said she noticed an increase in students taking up throwing since she transferred to the school in March 2021.
“A young man just came out for track and field, never even thought about doing it a day in his life but he got interested in shot put and discus and Gigi is the one that he goes to,” West said. “They act like they are brother and sister now. He is so determined now in track and field and he's seen that more opportunities are open for him as far as getting into school.”
Mellion has attracted attention from Division I schools such as Oregon, UCLA, Fresno State, Penn State and Virginia.
Along with inspiring classmates, she also is trying to increase diversity in the sport.
“I watched Raven Saunders during the Olympics and Valarie Allman,” Mellion said. “Those two are very good throwers I like to watch and want my technique to be as close to theirs. It's so good.”
Four days a week Mellion practices her throwing technique for an hour and a half. Right after that, she heads to the gym or to her house to lift weights. On the weekends she trains at the Throws Lab with a private coach, John Fouts. Her training routine has also doubled as recovery after she underwent knee surgery in May and October 2021 to straighten her legs; a problem caused by being born with knock knees.
Recovery, she said, merely provided her with motivation.
“I mean, some people might stop, but me I'm not going to stop so I just deal with it,” she said. “But it was painful.”
Despite not throwing the record-breaking distances like she’s used to, Mellion is getting back on track. At the Bear Creek Port City Invitationals on April 9, she took home two gold medals, throwing the shot 40 feet-six inches and the discus 119 feet- eight inches.
Those are not her state-leading record-setting distances but she is working to meet her former standards.
“I like to say because she's a Capricorn, my mom is a Capricorn, and my dad was a Capricorn, and just the Capricorn people that I know they’re all successful,” Adrien said. “They just handle business and that's what she does.”
Off the field, Mellion said she hopes to start her own business as a hairstylist, her second natural-born talent, which she has turned into a side hustle. She does hair on the weekends in a room her parents set up for her at home.
Her goals remain: 2028 Olympics, major in business and become a business owner.
"It's been ups and downs during the season but with the hard work I put in and dedication I have grown to hit the milestones I need to hit during those times during the season," Mellion said. "I'm just hoping it continues."
Record reporter Shannon Belt covers sports. She can be reached at sbelt@recordnet.com or on Twitter @ShannonBelt3. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Weston Ranch finds star thrower in Galadriel Mellion
