Nayaisha Edmond '20 Recruiting Profile

“RUNNERS ON YOUR MARK”It’s windy, I’m at the start line and the stands are halfway filled.

“SET”

I slowly kneel down to my block starts, looks ahead to see 10 red and white 83.3cm  hurdles lined up 109.36yd apart.

“THE GUN FIRES”

This is how it all started…

    By the 4th hurdle I feel my whole body falling onto the hard, red, rocky polyurethane track. I don’t know how I have fallen but I’m getting up and as I catch up to the girl on the side of me I fell again. I’m on the ground, head down, embarrassed, but I get back up and takes 3rd place still. When I got back to practice after that fall, my fear was facing them hurdles. I was hesitating to jump over the first hurdle placed in front of me. My body was holding me back from jumping over because it was still scared from the meet. I did drills, watched videos of runners who fell during a race and their process. I’ve asked my coach for personal practice sessions and all. It took me a week to get back comfortable hurdling.

Now, I’m a junior with several recruitments from several different colleges. I’m getting noticed from my growth. I’m not there yet but each meet is an improvement. I have since been state qualifier for both 100/300m Hurdles. 

    Hurdling became my passion. It's a motivational feeling after finishing the race. You fight during the race and finish it. I look at every hurdle as my problems and struggles and give it my all. Me diving into those hurdles is giving me courage that despite of my growth and accomplishment there will always be a hurdle set for me. I won’t let it defeat me, I defeat it. I am a Hurdler. I accept challenges and face them. I will not add any letters behind “I CAN.” Forever I will move forward and stride for success.