Simplot Indoor Games
Thursday-Saturday, February 14-16,
2008 @ Pocatello, Idaho
Coward conquers newest barriers with
ease
by Rich Gonzalez
Staked with the challenge of learning under a new technique coach and the added
novelty of racing indoors merely in flats for the first time, national hurdling
phenom Jacqueline Coward posted symbolic triumphs in Friday's 60-meter high hurdles
qualifying at the 30th annual Simplot Games.
By the way, this is the new and improved Jackie Coward.
If all holds true to form, Jackie Version 2.0 she should be right at the national
record set by Version 1.0 last winter, when she smoked to an all-time best 8.17.
As effective as always in competition, the University of Central Florida-signed
Coward relied on a clean getaway -- despite not using her spikes -- and was equally
dazzling over the hurdles to bust out a meet-best 8.49 in flats. With the nation's
elite hurdlers showing an average one-third-of-a-second increase in spikeless-prelims-to-spiked
finals clocking progressions at Simplot in recent years, her projected time in
the finals could be in the 8 and teens.
But especally noteworthy from this vantage point was the Knoxville West (Tn.)
senior's confidence and ease after successfully dispensing her latest challenges.
Seemingly radiating jitters and a quasi-confident demeanor in the past, Coward
was a picture of poise this time while reviewing her race, reflecting on her
near-term challenges, and revealing her longer-term goals.
"I felt it was a pretty good prelims race, especially without spikes," said
the Knoxville West (Tn.) senior, who was making her first trip to the mega-sized
indoor meet in frigid Pocatello, where temperatures dipped into the 20s.
"It definitely felt different in flats and it sure was cooooooooooool out
here too."
Coward volleyed between interviews with Internet, print and cable television
with ease, confidently covering all questions in stark contrast to the brief
replies and uneasy evident in past major meets.
"This was fun. I loved the noise in here and the hype," she added. "The
excitement just carries you and through and if the technique is right, it all
falls into place."
Everything must fall into place for Saturday's final, which figures to be a prime
showdown between her and Californian Vashti Thomas, the Golden State hurdling
recordholder indoors at 60 meters (8.30) and the national federation recordhlder
outdoors at the 100-meter high hurdles (13.03). Thomas was timed just 0.04 seconds
slower than Coward while winning a separate heat, with her coach (Steve Nelson)
pointing out Thomas' own maturation as an athlete in recent months, making her
an ultra-tough foe for Coward. The two have faced off only twice, with Coward
prevailing both times but by only 0.08 seconds at the 2007 Arcadia Invitational.
Thomas also owns the faster lifetime mark at the 100 highs, 13.03 to 13.17.
"If I get a good start and I can kick my foot out (over the hurdles), I'll
be running my race' said Coward. "My speed is there and my technique has
been my focus."
Coward was the precocious hurdler under the tutelage of club coach Charles Ryan
in recent years, exhibiting explosive starts and don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-it
clearances that resulted in three national records in a series of weeks. With
Ryan now hired off to the coaching staff at Louisiana Tech University, Coward
puts her full trust in co-coaches Tyangela Sanders and Carjay Lyles, the former
handling the sprint coaching chores and the latter specializing in the technique
work. So far, the transition has been near seamless according to Coward as the
synergy among all three coaches over the last calendar year has benefitted her
accelerated development.
Coward caught many track aficionados off guard when she committed to Central
Florida rather than collegiate track mega-powers such as Tennessee, LSU, Texas,
et al.
"I decided to go the spiritual route," she explained with a warm smile,
layered in a fleece top and Team USA tights. "Central Florida is a great
fit for me as a person and an athlete."
Citing her devotion to religion, her affinity for the coaching staff and being
won over by a "great girls of girls" welcoming her onto the sprint
team, Coward is unabated in her optimism for the future. That includes the months
to come, with the burden of making a college decision now siutated in her rear-view
mirror.
"I just want to leave high school giving people something to really say," said
Coward. "Not just saying, "yes, she was good; she ran 13.6 (for the
outdoor 100 hurdles)," but more like, "yes, she was the girl who ran
12.8."
12.8 ??? Yikes! The national record is 12.95!
And the equally important senior-year goals?
"Well," she said while flashing a warm and humble smile, "we're
actually talking about maybe going for the Olympic Trials.
"The goal between now and then is just really staying focused and being
patient. Being patient and executing the technique in races... then my fastest
times will come."
Perhaps starting with Saturday's titanic clash against Thomas and crew.
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