Evie Estes | Girls Wrestling

Christian Smith | Track & Field

Henderson County’s Evie Estes and Christian Smith have been named this week’s Athletes of the Week after standout performances at their respective state championships in wrestling and track and field.

Estes finished third at the KHSAA State Wrestling Championships, earning a podium finish after placing runner-up at the Region 1 tournament in February. The season presented challenges, but Estes fought through them to achieve her best result at the state level.

“Thank you so much for choosing me as Athlete of the Week, it’s truly an honor,” Estes said. “First, I would like to thank God for giving me the opportunity to wrestle and being by my side through every match. Next, I would like to give thanks to my little sister Rosie for being my biggest cheerleader, as well as my coaches and the rest of my family and friends. This has been my roughest season since I started wrestling in sixth grade. I overcame a knee injury and still made my personal best at state. Now that the season is over, though, I’m going to focus on continuing my journey in hopes of becoming a state champion next year.”

Smith also delivered a historic performance during the indoor track season. The Henderson County runner broke the school’s indoor 800-meter record and later broke it again at the state meet, running a personal-best 2:05.11.

“I am incredibly proud and honored to be named ‘Athlete of the Week,’ and I am grateful to everyone who nominated me and supported me throughout my training,” Smith said. “Going into this season, my coach worked hard to ensure that our team fully committed to the workouts and training plans she designed for the indoor season. I was amazed by the results when I broke the Henderson County indoor 800m record. Achieving that milestone filled me with pride and confidence, and it reminded me how much commitment and determination can impact performance. 

“Although our 4x800m relay team fell short of our goal this season, I believe the experience has motivated us even more as we prepare for the outdoor season. Our team is determined to continue working hard with the goal of reaching the podium at the outdoor state championships.

“After breaking the indoor 800m record, I earned a spot at the state championship meet and was determined to give my best effort. I dedicated myself to preparing for the race, and that hard work paid off when I broke my own record and ran a personal best of 2:05.11.

“I am truly honored to be recognized as Athlete of the Week, and I’m excited for what the outdoor season has ahead. Thank you to everyone who continues to support me and help me grow in my training and performance.”