On May 14, Jefferson athletes competed in the district track and field meet at Falls Church High School, showcasing both individual grit and strong team spirit, especially in the hurdles events.
Freshman Lilyann Wong competed in the 100-meter hurdles, entering the meet with a clear goal.
“I am going to try to make sure I don’t stutter before my first hurdle,” Wong said. “That slows me down the most.”
The moments before the race felt heavier than usual.
“I am telling myself to calm down because I am panicking right before my event,” Wong said. “The calmer I am, the better I’ll do.”
Even through the nerves, the support from her teammates echoed from the sidelines as
Wong ran.
“Everyone’s so supportive,” Wong said. “You hear people cheering for you while you’re racing.”
Freshman Salem Maru brought emotion and passion to the same event, the 100-meter hurdles.
“The emotions are intense,” Maru said, “I started crying, but I love it.”
Support from teammates made a difference as the meet wore on.
“Keep pushing, no matter what,” Maru said.
That support carried into Maru’s performance, which resulted in her finishing with confidence.
“I’m going to take the win by the whole meet,” Maru said.
Senior Daniel Etuk competed in the 110-meter hurdles and is set to run the 300-meter hurdles on Saturday. With years of experience under his belt, he brought a calm and focused mindset.
“Usually I pray and relax my mind,” Etuk said.
Etuk knew his race hinged on one key moment.
“The start is the most important piece of the race,” Etuk said.
Years of competition taught Etuk how to keep going, even when the results didn’t come easily.
“I’ve learned—sounds corny—but never give up,” Etuk said.
Looking back on his track journey since freshman year, Etuk would remind himself what matters most.
“Have fun with track,” Etuk said. “I was taking it way too seriously.”
As district competition narrows the field to only the best athletes, the pressure rises, but so does the determination. Every race pushed Jefferson hurdlers to grow, both as athletes and as people.
“Even if you don’t win, you leave knowing you gave it everything,” Wong said.