QUEEN OF EXCELLENCE

Wynn’s hard work pays off with trip to National Meet

There was a sense of nervousness for senior Sedricka Wynn as she awaited the results of the 100- meter hurdle finals.

“At first I thought I didn’t make it,” Wynn said. “They took forever to put up the places up there. I kept thinking to myself is my name going to pop up. But after that it was a relief because I had two more events to go.”

In fact, she said there was a sense of deja vu.

“Last year I was in the same position,” Wynn said. “That year I didn’t make it out of the finals so this was a breath of fresh air.”

After falling just short last year, Wynn’s phenomenal senior season is continuing as the track star advanced to the NCAA National Meet in the 100meter hurdles.

It has been a part of a dominant year for Wynn who has set numerous records and brought many gold medals for the Bobcats including breaking three different school records in the 100-meter dash, 100-meter hurdles and in the sprint relay.

One of the keys for Wynn’s tear has been staying tranquil.

“I’ve been patient throughout this season,” Wynn said. “It puts me in a different headspace … Nothing really changes for me. I treat every weekend of the meet the same whether or not I bring home a medal or break a record. I come every Monday with the mentality that it’s a new week and it’s time to lock in.”

While Wynn’s patience has paid off, her senior drive has also changed from last year after falling just shy of the mark.

“It made me more hungry,” Wynn said. “It made me take things more seriously. If I had this potential when I make it this far next year, it could be a different story.”

Just before the start of the new school year, Wynn had set the personal goal to make it to the National Meet.

“I wrote it down during Fall semester that I wanted to go to Nationals,” Wynn said. “All the hard work I did was able to go noticed.”

As hard as it is to run at speed for 100-meters, let alone having to run with obstacles in the way, Wynn said she has found a simple solution to succeed.

“I take a deep breath,” Wynn said. “I tell myself to focus on myself and worry about my own lane. When you are running full speed into those barriers which can be harmful so you have to be very careful … I take each hurdle at a time because you don’t want to start at the blocks and worry about the last hurdle because you have ten other hurdles to worry about.”

As Wynn prepares for Nationals, she said she has noticed something, a stronger sense of change this time around.

“It’s a different feeling,” Wynn said. “Throughout the season, you are warming and practicing with your teammates but now it’s me going solo. But it gives me more time to understand what the coaches need me to fix. I’m very happy with myself.”

But with the focus on running at Nationals as full focus, Wynn said she is now practicing with a mind to the beginning of the race “I just want to improve from the blocks to the first hurdle,” Wynn said. “That is the biggest challenge that I have. It’s something that I want to become better at, so I can make it to the finals and be able to run with those girls.”

cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc