Ex-Mizzou discus thrower competes at Olympic Trials & this KC Chief is her biggest fan

Kaia Harris, who finished her college track and field career at Missouri last season, competed in the discus at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Oregon, on Thursday.

Her biggest fan wears No. 56 for the Chiefs.

Harris’ longtime boyfriend is Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis. They met in high school and attended Purdue University together.

Harris competed for three seasons at Purdue, throwing the discus and hammer before transferring to Missouri to study law. In 2023, she finished fourth in the discus in the SEC Outdoor Championships.

In 2019, Harris suffered several injuries to her pelvis and internal organs in a car accident. She underwent multiple surgeries and was unable to walk for two months.

Harris returned to competition 1 1/2 years later and won the Wilma Rudolph Student-Athletic Achievement Award for “student-athletes who have overcome great personal, academic and/or emotional odds to achieve academic success while participating in intercollegiate athletics.”

Harris competed unattached at the Trials. She threw a personal best 189-0 on her third throw but did not advance to the finals. Harris finished ninth.