By Wade Linville – 

Mikayla Farris, a senior track and field standout of Eastern High School, has been invited to represent Ohio on the 2018 Down Under Sports Track and Field Team. Farris plans to depart for Queensland, Australia on Sunday, July 8 to compete for individual honors and a team championship title. Each participant must raise money to cover the cost of the trip, and Farris is currently in the process of raising funds, which is an important step to achieve the goal of competing on the international stage. Farris will be competing in both the shot put and discus events while in Australia. “I was more than excited when I got the letter,” Farris said of her invitation from Down Under Sports. “It was funny, because I actually mentioned something to mom a couple months before getting the letter about going to Australia…if that was the only place I could go in the world for the rest of my life, I would. And the fact that I will be competing for possibly the last time doing something I love, that makes it even better.” Farris has been a multi-sport standout at Eastern High School, not only excelling in track and field but also basketball and volleyball; earning Southern Hills Athletic Conference all-star honors during her high school career. A fundraiser for Farris can be found on Facebook on downundersports.com “Make a Payment for Mikayla Elizabeth Farris.” For more information on how to provide a donation for Farris, contact Brown County Press Sports Editor Wade Linville at (937) 444-3441.