Alyssa Tsang, Contributing Writer
Meeting two champions, Anna O’Connor and Arthur Cosson.
Spring semester is when the track season starts, both men’s and women’s teams have come back strong. Starting with four golds and two silvers in the Appalachian State Invites on Jan. 29, two of our long rally players won first place in their games.
Anna O’Connor, an Ireland Bio-Med junior, attempted both 3000 meters and 5000 meters’ rally with 11:07.49 and 19:16.94 respectively and two golds to return.
“Winning is always good,” said Anna, “but we weren’t happy about our performances last week.”.
O’Connor added that even though they won, there is a significant distance between her personal best and the result.
Another champion, Arthur Cosson, an MBA student from France, winner of the 3000 meters race at 8:52.05, agreed with O’Connor’s statement.
“The elevation and competitors really matter,” he said. Athletes tend to run faster with a group of competitors “after a few laps alone, athletes decrease pace and loss motivation easily,” Cosson said. That’s why both are excited about the Jaguar Invite in Alabama on Feb. 5. The competition there is more intense with lots more great athletes. “With a group of well-played runners, it helps to stay competitive,” said O’Connor.
In a track game, competitors are important. Athletes are close to each other and running as a group can reduce windbreak and motivate each other to run faster.
“I hope to break my personal best in Alabama, right now is 8:42,” both O’Connor and Cosson are attempting the Jaguar Invite, with 5000m and 3000m rally respectively.
“Hopefully we can put down some good times in Alabama and in the end of the season,” said O’Connor.
Both international student-athletes set a high goal for themselves; even though this is the first time they have come to the states.
“I love the athlete culture here in the United States,” O’Connor said. “It is better for running, and I can be more focused; back home, I can just make training fits life.”
“In here, I can make life fits training,” O’Connor added.
“I came here to discover a new way of life and a new system of training,” said Cosson.
Both athletes have a great plan and dream, taking all the risks and difficulties to come to the states. Both are trying to break their personal best. “I expected to run within 8:30 at the end of this season,” said Cosson.
O’Connor is training for the 10k rally, while Cosson will try both 5k and steeplechase in the future.
“The big goal will obviously be the nationals,” O’Connor said. It is a big dream, competing with great athletes in this new place. Cosson added that he will just “run as fast as possible.”
