Jap Top College observe phenom Natalie Dumas has simplest been operating for 3 years.
She joined the Jap observe staff in her freshman yr, however only one yr later, she stunned the sector by means of successful the 400-meter hurdles within the “New Steadiness Nationals Out of doors.”
“I used to be in natural surprise that I knew that I did it,” Dumas mentioned. “The following day my telephone blew up and I used to be freaking out as a result of I by no means had my telephone blow up like that earlier than, and the entirety modified for me then.”
In Might, Dumas tied four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s New Jersey State 400-meter file at 51.87.
“She’ll dig deep to search out that additional equipment,” mentioned Mike Tangeman, the Jap Regional Top College Women Observe & Box Head Trainer. “She’s probably the most centered athletes I have ever coached.”
5 weeks later, she broke that file with a 51.14 within the 400-meter for the quickest time on the planet this yr for runners underneath two decades outdated.
“On the finish of my 400, I had a small fall. I used to be so disillusioned, I labored so exhausting for this,” Dumas mentioned. “I used to be sitting there laying at the flooring like, ‘I were given 2d.’ And I elevate my head up, and it mentioned Natalie Dumas 1st position and I am freaking out,” Dumas mentioned.
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Dumas went directly to win a complete of 3 nationwide titles: the 400-meter, 400 hurdles, and 800-meter.
“I used to be maximum anxious about successful [the 800-meter] than each and every different one, as a result of that is the only I needed to protect,” Dumas mentioned. Â
“I recognize being one of the vital individuals who coaches her, and I really like that I had the chance to train the sort of nice athlete,” Jap Regional Top College Women Observe Assistant Trainer Barry W. Jackson mentioned.
Dumas will wrap up her highschool profession as she enters her senior yr, with goals of sooner or later competing within the Olympics.Â
