BY MICHAYLA SMITH
The spring track looks for continued success in the upcoming meets. Fans can expect a season filled with new personal records (PRs), and hopefully some trips to Sectionals and the Meet of Champions.
The athletes anticipate improvements over their winter track performances. “Spring times are almost always faster than winter, so I think a lot of people will beat their times,” stated junior distance-runner Joshua Santiago.
Many of the team’s returning runners have ambitious goals. “My goals for this season are to have major PRs in both my races,” stated sophomore Victoria Botte’s, whose current 1600m PR is 5:19. “I would like run a 5:10,” said Botte.
Some athletes will look to improve both as teammates and in their times. “Me and everyone else has improved a lot, but, also, I have to be more of a leader now to the younger kids who are just starting out,” said junior Nicholas Mackoul, who runs the 400, 4×4, 200, and 4×2.
Another member of the 4×4 relay team, senior Peter Afoakwah, ran a 51.06 split. “My expectations for this season is to make it to the Meet of Champions again for the 4×4, as well as become the GMC champ for the 400 and maybe 200,” said Afoakwah.
Every athlete on the team hopes to improve his or her individual performances. “My goal is to PR in all my events,” stated Santiago. His current mile PR is 4.30.3, but he is looking to run “something faster than 4.25.”
The team members also expect great things for their teammates. “By this season everyone will be on the grind trying to throw better and get stronger,” said sophomore shot-putter Victoria Allain, whose PR is 36-6but hope to throw “38.”
All athletes have faced obstacles and adversity on their way to success. “I was injured for a majority of the season last year and didn’t have a chance to improve my times, so I’m hoping to see a big improvement this year with a lot more training,” said junior hurdler Alyssa Penn.
Santiago has great faith in what the team can do this season. “I expect the team to be one of the favorites for the GMC Championship,” said Santiago. “We have a really strong group this year full of hard workers that are ready to win.”
The team also predicts that they will have plenty of differences from last season. I would also like to place in sectionals, make it all the way through to all other meets, and place higher in Spring GMCs this year than last year,” stated Botte.
Junior Carly Cutrone expects the outdoor season to reign supreme over all her others. Her current mile PR is 5.54 and her two-mile PR is 12.32. “My goal is to sub 5.50 in the mile and break 12:30 in the two-mile,” stated Cutrone. “I expect for the outdoor season to be my strongest season yet!”
Students can foresee that the Spring Track team will continue to accomplish great things and beat many of their PRs in the upcoming season!
Posted on 3/27/24
Photos by Saisha Dave and Avery Person
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