Winthrop’s track and field teams claimed seven first-place finishes on the final day of the UNC- Wilmington Invitational to bring its weekend meet total to 11. Winthrop competed against Campbell, Fayetteville State, Methodist, Sandhills C.C., UNC-Pembroke, UNC-Wilmington, Webber and William Peace on Saturday, March 16. Winthrop’s victors include Alexis Jeffery, who took first in the triple jump, Jalen Hodges, taking first in the high jump; Tori Waddington, placing first in the shot put; Dalton Nicholas, placing first place in the discus throw; Theo Kahler, placing first place in the 1500m run; Evan Hailes placing first in the Triple jump, Harper Henson placing in the 800m run; Jesse DeFalco, placing fourth in the 800m run, Sara Dixson, placing second in the shot put and third in the discus; Karina Grant and Autumn Rabon, placing third in the high jump and Taylor Anderson, placing third in the long jump.
Grant is a sophomore psychology major who participates in the Pentathlon, which includes hurdles, high jump, long jump, shot put and the 800m for the indoor season, and the heptathlon, which includes hurdles, high jump, long jump, 200m, javelin, shot put and 800m during the outdoor season. Grant, after asked being asked about placing said, “It always feels great to see all the hard work you put in pay off. Track is unique in that you can clearly and objectively see your improvements in your times or marks. Track is a tough sport physically and mentally, but setting new personal records reassures me that all the hours spent practicing are worth it.”
Hailes, junior international business major, claimed first place in the triple jump. “Since this is the first outdoor meet of the season, it’s good to start out on a positive note,” Hailes said. “I’m hoping to carry the momentum over for our upcoming meets that will only get more competitive.” Hodges, junior business administration major, was also one of the participants who claimed first in the high jump. “It felt great to start the outdoor season with a win,” Hodges said. “More than anything, it was motivation to work hard daily to continue to grow from here.”
Dixson, junior biology major, throws the shot put, hammer and discus. “Doing well in the first meet of the year was a big confidence boost,” Dixson said. “I needed to know how I was going to compete after having ACL surgery last fall, since conditions during practice and competition can be much different, and I performed better than I expected. It makes me feel more confident in the things I am doing in competition but gives me a good idea of what I need to work on at practice to perform better in the future.” These Eagles reported positive feelings during and after their victories.
“I feel like the best word to describe how I feel during competitions is adrenaline,” Grant said. “It’s a mix of nervousness, excitement and just a desire to perform well.”
Hailes said, “I’m always more excited than I am nervous. I’m just blessed to be able to compete at this level and I always make sure I have fun with it.”
“I was pretty nervous,” Dixson said. “This is my first time competing in an outdoor season since having ACL surgery last fall, but once I got my first throw in, my nerves started to calm down and I really started to feel in the zone and confident.”
“I hardly ever get nervous before high jump,” Hodges said. “I was excited to just be back to competition.” Even with great accomplishments comes great responsibilities. Each of the Eagles had their own goals in mind for future meets and how they planned to accomplish them. Grant said. “A goal I have for before I graduate is to be on the podium and get top three in the conference meet. In general, I just hope to continue improving and setting new personal records. The thing that I believe contributes most to my performance during competitions is my performance during practices. I make it a goal to always give 100 percent effort at practice because I know that the training is what prepares me to be successful in meets. Aside from practice, I need to continue prioritizing healthy eating and good sleeping habits to make sure my body is ready to perform each day.”
“My goal for the rest of the season is to finish top three in the conference,” Hailes said. “I also want to set a new personal record. I have to make sure to keep taking care of my body by going to treatment sessions and make sure I have a mentality to work hard in every practice and weight lifting session.”
Dixson said, “My goal in the remainder of the season is to keep improving. I hope to score in each event at conference, but I am focused on improving my own form and distances. I am going to continue to work on the things I need to improve in my form and work on calming my nerves before competing in each event. I also plan on making sure that I am being smart during practice to prevent injuries and keeping my body as healthy as possible for future meets.”
“My ultimate goal is to make East Prelims in high jump and win Conference,” Hodges said. “To do this, I plan [on] never becoming complacent, always looking for ways to improve and get stronger, so when meets come I know I will have prepared well.”
Congratulations to these Eagles on their victories.
