TC junior seeing measurable improvements in hurdles
Special to the Times | Reginald Chee
Tuba City junior Robert Blackhat III clears a hurdle during the 300-meter hurdles at the 93rd Annual Winslow Track & Field Invitational on Friday, April 24. Blackhat placed second with a time of 41.49 seconds.
WINSLOW
In his first postseason qualification, Tuba City hurdler Robert Blackhat III had a mishap.
The TC junior tripped during the prelims of the 110-meter hurdles during last year’s Arizona Interscholastic Association Division IV track meet. That misstep caused him to fall as he finished last, turning in a time of 23.24 seconds.
“I made a mistake with the way I came off the hurdle,” Blackhat said. “It was my steps and that took me down mentally.”
Nearly a year has gone by, and Blackhat still remembers the feeling of not performing to his true potential. Next week, he will be given a chance to right that wrong as he has qualified to compete in the prelims of the AIA Division IV Championships, which is scheduled for May 8-9 at Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix.
Blackhat is currently ranked No. 4 in the 110 hurdles in the latest Division IV standings with Snowflake’s Ryder Hall leading the state with a time of 14.41 seconds. Valley Christian hurdlers Ethan Hodgson (14.59) and Caleb Goldman (14.73) has the second and third fastest times followed by Blackhat (15.51).
“I’m excited to be heading back (to the division championships),” Blackhat said. “I want to PR and see myself doing my best in the hurdles.”
In addition to the 110 hurdles, he is also qualified for the 300-meter hurdles. Going into this week’s barrage of qualifying meets, Blackhat has recorded the seventh fastest time in the 300 hurdles with a time of 40.74. Goldman leads the state at 37.92 followed by Pitts at 39.05.
On Wednesday, Blackhat took part in the 3A North Championship, which was held at Page High School. Based on his times he’s turned in this season, the Tuba hurdler was expected to win both hurdles.
Last week, Blackhat won the 110 hurdles during the 93rd Annual Winslow Track & Field Invitational with a time of 15.88 as he edged Snowflake’s Conover Pitts, who clocked in at 16.07.
The two athletes traded slots in the 300 hurdles with Pitts winning the event at 40.10 with Blackhat taking second at 41.49.
“It was really competitive,” Blackhat said. “In big meets like this, there’s a bunch of boys who want to win.”
Blackhat has been doing hurdles since his eighth-grade year while at Tuba City Boarding School. And while it takes time for some athletes to find their niche, he fell in love with hurdles.
“I just kind of grew into hurdles,” he said. “My middle coach, Gary Riggs, saw the potential I had, and I saw that too. I kind of knew that I could do really good in hurdles at the high school level.”
Blackhat attributes his improved training and eating habits for the forward progress he’s seen from his sophomore to his junior seasons. Last year, his best time in the 110 hurdles was 17.40 and 43.04 in the 300. Compared to this season’s PR, he improved by 1.89 seconds in the 110 and 2.3 in the 300.
“I’m working out more, lifting weights more and I’m eating healthy,” Blackhat said. “I cut the junk food out. I cut out Hot Cheetos, chips and, you know, the rez things we like to eat.
“It was hard at first, but I realized what it’s done for me, with how fast I got.”
With his results this year, Blackhat believes that he can make the finals at the divisional meet and, perhaps, earn a divisional medal.
“That’s my biggest goal right now,” he said. “I really want to get on that podium.”
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Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow