The college track and field season has started to wind down, but five Lipscomb athletes are just getting started.

Seniors Gemikal Prude and Madi Talbert, juniors Barbara Lee Ball and Sally Larson and sophomore Wayne Newman are at North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla., for the NCAA Division I East Region Preliminaries. The competition begins Thursday afternoon and finishes Saturday.

Ball and Larson will be running in the 10,000 meter race at 8 p.m. Thursday. Ball, who recently made the All-Academic Team, is making her first appearance at the East Preliminaries. It is Larson’s second time, although she competed in the 5,000m last season.

At 7:50 p.m. Friday, Talbert will be competing in the 3,000m steeplechase, her fourth consecutive appearance in that event. She’s also making her second straight appearance in the 5,000m, which begins at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.

Newman, who was also selected to the All-Academic Team, will be competing in two events, the 400m hurdles at 4 p.m. Thursday and the 110m hurdle at 4:30 p.m. Friday. This is his second year advancing in the 110m hurdle, and he holds the school record in both those events. Prude is taking on the high jump competition at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. This is his third consecutive appearance in the event at the East Preliminaries.

Because of successfully making it to the preliminaries, the track and field season has been going on for months for these five athletes, but Prude said despite feeling physically taxed at times, he and the rest of the Bisons are ready.

“The track season is a long one,” he said. “It can be very demanding, and of course you’ll deal with some injuries here and there. But that won’t stop any of us from giving our best efforts this weekend.”

To prepare for his competition, Prude said he focuses on the One who has given him the opportunity to compete in something that he loves.

“Before competing I have to pray. Not for anything specific, but just to give thanks for the opportunity to do what I love. Many people don’t get the chance to indulge in such a privilege like this.”

Prude added that he has another mental weapon that helps him ward off the stress and tension competing brings. “I also love listening to music,” he said.
“It relaxes me and makes me a bit more goofy before a competition that can be very tense, and I need such soothing.”

The preliminaries begin Thursday and last until Saturday. Lipscomb has competitors in seven different events for a spot in the National Championships.

Photo courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics

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