Hudson javelin thrower Savannah Gao enjoying community before heading to Boston University

HUDSON - The javelin left Savannah Gao's hand for the first time naturally.

She prepared for the moment for most of her athletic up to that point without even realizing. The Hudson senior often threw a football to her younger brother Ray Gao in the parking lot. That motion mimicked the most effective way to launch a javelin.

Gao joined Hudson's track team because she enjoyed running and to stay in shape for soccer. She didn't expect to throw anything. The Hawks, however, needed a javelin thrower.

Hudson coach Spencer Fortwengler typically plucks athletes from other programs for his track squad in the spring to keep them in shape, particularly his girls soccer players.

"Having that natural ability to throw was good, and once she threw it, it was magical," Fortwengler said. "Just left her fingers, and it went."

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She launched it over 100 feet at the first meet and realized "Wow, I'm actually not bad. I should keep doing this." Her stature and raw power carried her initially, but Gao gradually married it with technique.

"It has its own specific steps," she said. "If you miss a small step, it can affect the whole throw."

Gao broke down the component pieces of her run up, her arm angle and the trajectory. She studies video and critiques her form. Fortwengler sent film to friends a the college level that imparted more tips and techniques. Gao worked on getting her hip in and forming the leg block. Often that was in practice, but she regularly trained by herself after practice or on the weekend throughout the year. She found her rhythm after a year.

"You like something you're good at"

The javelin has flown further and further ever since. Gao has won two consecutive Division 5 state titles. She was third in both the Meet of Champions and at New Englands as a junior, qualifying for the New Balance Outdoor Nationals.

"At first it was something I was good at, and obviously you like something you're good at," Gao said. "But then I found that jav community."

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She connected with a group of Massachusetts throwers at nationals after her junior season that included Franklin's Elizabeth Hopkins, who won the Meet of Champions last season and vied with Gao all year for the top throw in the state. They all talked about how nervous they were for the meet.

"For me it's all about the community because we help each other out," Gao said. "I help other people analyze their throws, they cheer me on."

"I take pride in my work ethic"

That same year, college programs took notice. A few "smaller schools" messaged her on Instagram. Gao recognized the potential to compete at a higher level and further her education with the sport. She always saw Boston University signs whenever her family drove into Boston and reached out to the Terriers. Gao committed in October, becoming the girls program's first Division 1 athlete in more than 10 years, according to Fortwengler, who has coached at Hudson for 18 years.

But continuing her academic success was just as important as the sport.

"I love javelin, but my education is important to me. I take pride in my work ethic, and I want to achieve higher education for my parents," Gao said. "They never graduated high school, so me being able to go to college and compete in a sport made them really proud."

"They want to throw like Savannah"

With her sporting future secured, Gao is trying to enjoy her final Hudson track season. She has sometimes set unrealistic goals or over-thought the minutiae of her events.

"I think I put too much stress on myself," Gao said. "It gets harder every day, to be honest, because if I see a bad mark, I'll be like, 'Oh what do I need to fix this? What am I doing wrong? I do find it fun, but it's not fun if you're not throwing your best. I think what really makes it fun is the people around me."

Those people already recognize the impact she's made. They'll miss her once she's wearing the shade of Terriers red instead of the Hawks hue.

"The kids look up to her. The other two seniors that throw, it's a little like a sisterhood there," Fortwengler said. "We're not by ourselves on this island throwing. The younger kids see it, they want to try. They want to throw like Savannah."

Leaving that kind of legacy would mean more to Gao than the school record or more championships.

"I want jav to be known as a sport that everyone can do. People often forget the field part of track and field," she said. "Doing this event brings light to it."

Contact Kyle Grabowski at kgrabowski@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @kylegrbwsk.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: BU javelin commit Savannah Gao a state champion thrower for Hudson