Best in SC: Sharmelle Holmes named Gatorade Girls Track Athlete of Year

After a record-setting senior season, Sharmelle Holmes earned the state’s top girls’ track and field honor.

The Fairfield Central standout was named the 2024 South Carolina Girls Track and Field Gatorade Athlete of Year on Tuesday morning. She becomes the first player in school history to win the honor and it’s the sixth straight year a Midlands athlete has won the award, joining Westwood’s Ticora Gaskin (2023) and Brianna Rordiguez (2022), and Airport’s Jayla Jamison (2019-21).

Holmes, a Kentucky signee, won the 100, 200, long jump and was on the winning 4x100 relay at the Class 2A championships. She had the top times in the state this year in the 100 and 200.

Holmes set a new state record in the 100 with a time of 11.45 seconds, breaking Southside’s Bonetta Kelly’s mark of 11.49 set in 1991. She also set a new state record in the 200 with a time of 23.57. She set a personal-best in the 200 the week before in the Upper State championship with a 23.53.

Holmes finished her career with eight individual state championships and another one in the relay.

Away from track, Holmes has a 4.23 GPA and has volunteered locally as an assistant athletic trainer and as a youth track coach.

Midlands SC Gatorade Players of Year

A list of Midlands girls track and field athletes who have won S.C. Gatorade Player of the Year since the award has been handed out in 1986.

2024: Sharmelle Holmes, Fairfield Central

2023: Ticora Gaskin, Westwood

2022: Brianna Rodriguez, Westwood

2019-2021: Jayla Jamison, Airport

2005-06: Kate Niehaus, Spring Valley

1998-99: Curtrell Frye, Irmo

1997: Andrea Hallmon, Lower Richland

1992-94: Monique Hennagan, Spring Valley