Patrick on the right track
Photo by Alyssa Urayanza
Senior Hannah Patrick stretches with her team before track practice. She has placed at or near the top in triple jump in the first three track meets of the year.
Senior Hannah Patrick placed first in the girl’s triple jump during the second and third track meets of the Maui Interscholastic Season, which is amazing given that this is the first year in which she’s competed in the event.
“I think I did pretty good considering that it was my first year doing it. I think I’m doing okay,” she said.
The national title cheerleader also placed second in the first MIL meet. She said that her previous years’ track experience and overall agility and athleticism honed in cheerleading might be the reason she is doing well in this event that’s new to her.
Patrick has been involved in track for a total of five years. She ran during her seventh and eighth grade years in middle school and during her sophomore, junior, and now senior years in high school.
In previous years she has participated in the 100-meter dash, the 4 x 1 relay, and the long jump, and this year she added the triple jump to her experiences.
“I really like triple jump because it’s kind of different, and I think that it is my most challenging event,” she said.
According to long jump and triple jump coach Jason Bisera, the triple jump is different from the long jump in that it is a more powerful event that does not require the runner to run as quick. It is a more controlled and rhythmic event.
Coach Jayson’s advice for those participating in the triple jump for the first time is to focus on your rhythm. He said that there are three phases, and that those three phases should be at the same rhythm, meaning that each jump should be at the same speed. He also feels that Patrick is progressively getting better.
Patrick said that the best way to prepare for the triple jump, as well as any other event, is to go to practice and always try your best.
“There’s always room for improvement, and I always want to be getting better,” she said.
Patrick initially came to participate in the long jump and, now, triple jump because she said that she always thought that she would be good at them.
As for her participation in the race events, she said that she has always enjoyed running and that people would often tell her that she was fast, so she thought that she could do well in track.
“I think the best thing [about track] is that I have really close friends that are on the team, so it’s a really fun time, and we get to build our relationships,” Patrick said.
As a pre-meet ritual, she always puts her hair in two french braids and wears the same socks to each meet.
Patrick said that her personal goal for the season is to qualify for states in any event. She plans to achieve this by always working hard and never losing sight of her goal.
“I think the biggest thing [I will take from track] is that even when things get hard, you always have to push yourself and just go for it,” she said. “You just have to do it.”
