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Texas track and field hurdler Kody Blackwood has always been capable of breaking the 50-second mark in the 400-meter hurdles. His main obstacle has been his mind; doubts, fears and other detriments can drag down his performance.
However, Thursday at the Texas Relays he called his shot. After recording a time of 50.23 seconds in the preliminaries, Blackwood said he could "go 49 tomorrow."
When an exhausted Blackwood became the first runner to stretch across the finish line Friday afternoon, the scoreboard had him at 50.01 seconds. Then came a brief silence before the clock changed to 49.98 seconds, causing his fellow Longhorns to explode in cheers, knowing how much the moment meant to him.
More: Texas track and field struggle to dominate in SEC, 'where everybody's top dog'
"He's always been capable of it, but whatever you think you can do when you do it on paper is different, so very proud of him," Texas track and field coach Edrick Floréal said.
Blackwood recorded his previous personal best in his freshman year, hitting a 50.04-second mark at the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Since then, he's struggled to recapture that form.
The physical potential has never been in doubt. Blackwood's tall stature and lanky legs make him uniquely suited for the hurdles, allowing him to take longer strides and fewer steps in the race. Despite his athletic traits, the improvement he's focused on most in his three years of college cannot be measured.
In previous seasons, Blackwood struggled to recover mentally from the mistakes he made on the track. His focus would waver, and his anxiety over his blunder would negatively impact his performance.
"At nationals last year, I missed the final by two spots because I was just not focused during the race, not putting things together in practice," Blackwood said.
As a junior, he understands that mistakes are a part of track and field and the best thing he can do in the heat of the event is to execute to his fullest extent.
Even in Friday's final, Blackwood almost fell when he clipped his trail leg on a hurdle, causing the obstacle to rock slightly. But the Longhorn didn't let the blunder faze him as he pursued his goal.
The moment didn't escape Floréal, who pointed out how his runner's race wasn't perfect. Nevertheless, the coach expressed pride in Blackwood, understanding how pressure causes athletes to perform below their usual standards.
"You got people in the stands, the time goes on, you got the video camera. Everything changes," Floréal said.
There's a lot stacked against Blackwood as he seeks to reach his peak performance. There'll be new expectations, tougher competition and the pressure to contribute to Texas in a loaded Southeastern Conference. There's no guarantee he can overcome it all.
While Blackwood thinks breaking the 49.5-second mark is in his future, the UT runner will focus mostly on doing his best in each race and letting the records come to him.
"He's got to battle demons, anxiety and fears; it's a lot of stuff you got to battle to do it," Floréal said. "But he's capable."
See more of Caleb Yum's work here and follow him on X. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Get access to all of our best content with this tremendous offer.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: UT's Kody Blackwood records personal best at Texas Relays
Continue reading...
However, Thursday at the Texas Relays he called his shot. After recording a time of 50.23 seconds in the preliminaries, Blackwood said he could "go 49 tomorrow."
When an exhausted Blackwood became the first runner to stretch across the finish line Friday afternoon, the scoreboard had him at 50.01 seconds. Then came a brief silence before the clock changed to 49.98 seconds, causing his fellow Longhorns to explode in cheers, knowing how much the moment meant to him.
More: Texas track and field struggle to dominate in SEC, 'where everybody's top dog'
"He's always been capable of it, but whatever you think you can do when you do it on paper is different, so very proud of him," Texas track and field coach Edrick Floréal said.
Blackwood recorded his previous personal best in his freshman year, hitting a 50.04-second mark at the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Since then, he's struggled to recapture that form.
The physical potential has never been in doubt. Blackwood's tall stature and lanky legs make him uniquely suited for the hurdles, allowing him to take longer strides and fewer steps in the race. Despite his athletic traits, the improvement he's focused on most in his three years of college cannot be measured.
In previous seasons, Blackwood struggled to recover mentally from the mistakes he made on the track. His focus would waver, and his anxiety over his blunder would negatively impact his performance.
"At nationals last year, I missed the final by two spots because I was just not focused during the race, not putting things together in practice," Blackwood said.
As a junior, he understands that mistakes are a part of track and field and the best thing he can do in the heat of the event is to execute to his fullest extent.
Even in Friday's final, Blackwood almost fell when he clipped his trail leg on a hurdle, causing the obstacle to rock slightly. But the Longhorn didn't let the blunder faze him as he pursued his goal.
The moment didn't escape Floréal, who pointed out how his runner's race wasn't perfect. Nevertheless, the coach expressed pride in Blackwood, understanding how pressure causes athletes to perform below their usual standards.
"You got people in the stands, the time goes on, you got the video camera. Everything changes," Floréal said.
There's a lot stacked against Blackwood as he seeks to reach his peak performance. There'll be new expectations, tougher competition and the pressure to contribute to Texas in a loaded Southeastern Conference. There's no guarantee he can overcome it all.
While Blackwood thinks breaking the 49.5-second mark is in his future, the UT runner will focus mostly on doing his best in each race and letting the records come to him.
"He's got to battle demons, anxiety and fears; it's a lot of stuff you got to battle to do it," Floréal said. "But he's capable."
See more of Caleb Yum's work here and follow him on X. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Get access to all of our best content with this tremendous offer.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: UT's Kody Blackwood records personal best at Texas Relays
Continue reading...
