Sports Column: The day at the track meet
The Washburn Open was a two-day indoor track meet in the Indoor Athletic Facility Jan. 29-30.
No limits: Skyler Saunders flies over the bar of the high jump. Saunders placed 6th with a jump of 5 feet and 3.78 inches. ” I have been doing the high jump since the sixth grade,” said Saunders.
Editor’s Note: The student body cannot yet attend events in the Washburn Indoor Athletic Facility. Instead of a regular sports story, the reporter takes you inside the stadium.
When you fall in life, you have two options. Get back up or stay on the ground. The track meet on Saturday showed me there is much resilience in individuals.
In the past few weeks, the track team was busy with practices mixed in with three meets in a short time. The Washburn Indoor Athletic Facility has become a big help for the track team by providing a comfortable atmosphere for competitive individuals.
I believe track and field is a pure sport with simple rules and a general lack of team corporation. The majority of athletes must rely only on their hard work and talent within a single event. Track athletes push their bodies to maxim effort, and they create their future in their eyes.
When Isabella Hohl ran the 60 meter dash on Saturday, she told me later that she was “confident in herself when running,” even though she had suffered an injury earlier in the year. She ended up tying her personal record at Saturday’s meet.
As the meet started at 9 a.m., I found myself a bit nervous and afraid of meeting new people and writing about athletes. But, what I find helpful is taking that one small step in the direction of my goal. Similar to any athlete, who must lose themselves in the motion of that one small step to find motivation.
When meeting the athletes, they were always nice to me, and some even asked about my article location. I met many new friends last Saturday.
As I reflect back on the day, what caught my attention most was constant clapping and deafening cheering during the 400 meter, especially considering that COVID-19 restrictions do not allow spectators in the stands. I can imagine that one day the facility will be full, and we will hear powerful cheering by the great fans of Washburn. I can’t wait join in with my own “let’s go” screams to cheer on the athletes. Maybe we will become the loudest facility in Kansas.
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