ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Chloe Diaz, Montrose track and field
The senior won the 100 hurdles (16.3 seconds), 300 hurdles (50.8) and 100 meters (13.3) in a Lackawanna Track Conference win over Susquehanna to help the team stay undefeated. Then at the Wyalusing Lasagna Invitational, she won gold in the 100 hurdles (15.66) and 300 hurdles, setting a school record (47.20).
Family: Father, Eric; mother, Bobbi Jo; sister, Layla
Other sports I play: Soccer, basketball
Favorite teams: I don’t really watch a lot of sports.
Favorite food: Chicken
Favorite school subject: English. It comes the easiest to me. Sometimes it’s fun to write essays.
Cake or pie?: Definitely cake
Superstitions and rituals: I always wear my shin sleeves. I feel like those always bring me luck. I always like talking to people before races and games. It calms me down and I’m not very nervous. When I’m on the line waiting for my race, I’ll talk to the other girls. I’ve met a lot of great girls from other schools who also hurdle.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Definitely invisibility.
Talk about setting the school record in the 300 hurdles: I knew I was pretty close, It was my last race of the day. I just wanted to get it over with and push myself through it. Ever since last year, I’ve been wanting to do it.
What was your reaction when you crossed the finish line and learned you set the record? I was really excited. I wasn’t sure if I was going to get it that day. It surprised me that I was able to pull it out.
What have been some of the keys to the team being undefeated? We all get along really well. We all encourage each other before, during and after the races. We support reach other. If someone makes a mistake and is hard on themselves, we just try to bring them back up from that. We keep our heads up.
How did you get interested in doing the hurdles? I started in ninth grade. I was terrified because I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to do it. My coach said I should try it because I have long legs and my hips were high up. He thought it looked like I’d be able to get over them pretty easily.
At what point did the fear go away? After the first few meets, I realized that it was coming to me a lot easier. I feel like all the fear went away after I started three-stepping, which was my sophomore year. I really gained confidence after that.
The Jordan Relays are later this week and Montrose is the defending Class 2A girls champ. What do you feel you have to do to repeat? We all want to be returning champions again, so I just hope we can all pull through. We’re just going to try our best and make sure we bring it all in the Jordans. We’re excited.
Are you where you want to be with the postseason omn the horizon? This time last year, I was just starting to get in the 15s from the 16s. Now I’ve been running consistent 15.5s, 15.6s in the 100 (hurdles) and pretty consistent in the 300. So I have to work to get faster.
Goals for the rest of the season: I really want to re-break my old record, which is 15.25 in the 100 hurdles. I want to make it to states again. I really hope our 4x100 team can also make it to states.
How many times have you qualified for states? My first year was my sophomore year and I also went down my junior year. I got fifth place in the 100 hurdles both years. I made it to states in the 300 hurdles last year, but I didn’t place.
Three people I’d like to have dinner with: Drake, Morgan Wallen, Sza
Post-graduation plans: I’m not sure about college. I’m probably going to take a year off. Eventually, I want to run my own business. Start up something and run it myself.
