Striking back

Ramah’s Hill captures for gold medals

ALBUQUERQUE

A mishap over the final hurdle is where everything started for Taea Hill.

The Ramah senior tripped over the hurdle last season in the 100-meter hurdles at the state track and field meet, leaving her injured and unable to compete in the rest of her events. As a result she went home empty-handed.

But last weekend at the 2A 2016 NMAA State Track and Field Championships, she conquered not only the hurdle but all five of her events; placing first in four and second in another.

“It’s just been a great experience, track is my favorite sport so I’m real emotional,” she said. “I really love it. I’m glad it worked out the way it was supposed to.”

She qualified in six events but she dropped one due to the five-event rule. She placed first in the triple jump, 100-meter dash and 100 and 300 hurdles. She also added a second place finish in the 200.

Just like last season, her sprinting events started with the one that haunted her the most – the 100-meter hurdles.

“I am just trying so hard to not think about it, but use it as that motivation,” she said. “I was just so nervous. I was just I like ‘get over that last hurdle because the last hurdle is the one I fell on.’”

Hill said she was very cautious getting over that final hurdle as she won the event with a time 16.91 seconds. Earlier she topped the field in the triple jump with a mark of 35 feet, six inches.

Ramah head coach Austin Clawson said there was a lot of uncertainty for Hill heading into the state meet but that changed once she cleared the final hurdle in the 100 hurdles.

“Once the hundred hurdles were over, I knew everything was going to be fine,” he said. “It was fun to see and it was just fun to be apart of.”

Hill added two more gold medals by winning the 300 hurdles (48.13) and the 100 (13.36). In the 200 she turned in a 27.06 and placed second.

---