Austen Diggs Caps LHS Career With Two State Sprint Silvers

La Grange senior Austen Diggs had never run faster – and it earned him a pair of state silver medals Thursday at the state track meet.

In the 100 meters Diggs ran a 10.43, just three hundredths of a second behind winner Will Henderson of Gilmer.

In the 200 meters Diggs ran a 20.77, breaking his own school record, to finish just five hundredths of a second behind winner Tyler Brown of Aubrey.

To go along with the gold he won last year in the 200 meters and the bronze he won last year in the 100, Diggs now has four individual state track medals, making him one of the most decorated track athletes in school history.

“It’s been amazing,” Diggs said of his high school career. “But most of all, it’s not just about track. God uses track to teach me these lessons.”

“I’m just so proud of him,” said La Grange track coach Rusty Cauthern. “Everything he’s done, the leadership, the work ethic. I told him the wins are great, but the kind of person he is, is more important, and he knows that.”

Diggs started the night with the 100 meters, shaving 14-hundreths of a second off his state time from last year to move up from bronze in 2023 to silver in 2024.

“My start was great, I kept my composure the whole race,” Diggs said of his 100 meter race. “It feels good.”

Then he went to prepare for the 200, where he was just edged at the line by Brown (a junior who was 4th last year) even though Diggs ran fivehundreths of a second faster than he did when he won the state title last year. At the end of the race Diggs leaned for the finish line and as he crossed lost his footing and did a flip. From the ground he and the crowd of thousands watched the final results show up on the jumbotron.

“I didn’t finish like I know I can,” Diggs said. “I kind of stuttered at the end and started losing form. I had a good start, but it’s still a learning process. I know God has a specific reason for this happening. I put my faith in Him. I’ve got four more years of this sport, if not more.”

Diggs now heads off to run for Baylor University after high school graduation.