Dan McCarney
Express-News Staff Writer
AUSTIN — An irrepressible talker, Texas freshman Destinee Hooker needed only a tiny bit of prodding to spill what sounded like a family secret.
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Older sister Marshevet, Destinee said, is thinking hard about forgoing her final season at UT to pursue a professional career in Europe.
Considering the way Marshevet Hooker dominated Saturday on the final day of the 79th Texas Relays, it’s a logical move. It’s also one Hooker said she won’t consider until the end of her junior season, not even after running the world’s fastest time this year to win the 100 meters in front of 20,000 at Myers Stadium.
“I really haven’t thought too much about it,” said Hooker, a 2003 Southwest graduate. “I’m just staying with my coach and my parents, trying to get through the year. I’ve got a lot of work to do, and I’m ready to get it done.”
Less than a month after leading UT to the NCAA indoor national championship, Hooker won the 100 in 11.13 seconds. She also anchored UT’s 400 relay team to victory with another world-best time, 42.84.
In no hurry to see her top athlete leave, Longhorns coach Bev Kearney said she hasn’t discussed a pro career with Hooker. Kearney also admitted that Hooker is more than ready to make the jump.
“She’s definitely an international-level competitor,” Kearney said. “She’s mature, she’s got a lot of victories under her belt against stellar competition. But I think she’s focused on what’s happening right here.”
Hooker received another endorsement from fellow San Antonian Darold Williamson, who teamed with Olympic 400 champion and ex-Baylor teammate Jeremy Wariner in the invitational 1,600 relay.
“I think she’s ready,” Williamson said. “She’s done pretty much everything there is to do in college. She’s ready.”
Even with Wariner running a 43.2 split, Williamson’s “Waco All-Stars” team could only finish second. Williamson, who was edged at the finish line, spent at least five minutes after the race vomiting into a large trash bucket.
Williamson couldn’t remember the last time he surrendered a lead, if ever.
“I’ve never struggled like this,” Williamson said. “I’m very dehydrated, very nauseous. It’s a surprise. You always want to win, especially when you get the stick last. But I won’t let this bring me down.”
Williamson said he plans begin his own professional career later this month.
On an uneventful day for area high schoolers, La Vernia junior Aimee Jonas was one of two individual medalists with a second-place finish in the girls Division I 100-meter hurdles.
Judson’s Randez James finished third in the Division II boys 100 meters at 10.5 seconds.