Cougar track and field competes in relays

The Cougar track and field team will send 32 competitors to the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif., where it will be a familiar sight for sophomore Christiana Ekelem. 

Ekelem is a sprinter from Etiwanda, Calif., which is about 45 minutes from where she will be competing.  She said she is excited for the opportunity to compete in front of her family and friends.

Ekelem is coming off an impressive outing last week in Tucson, Ariz., where she contributed in the 4×100-meter relay that she ended up winning. Ekelem ran alongside redshirt senior Shaquana Logan, freshman Danielle Darden, and sophomore Dominique Keel to finish with a time of 45:06, the fifth fastest time in WSU history. 

“Better competition pushes you further. You want to prove you’re the best, (and) you want to beat the best,” Ekelem said. 

Although Assistant Coach Ellannee Richardson said Ekelem is at her best in long-distance races, her skill as a sprinter does not go unnoticed.  

“Just last week we needed her to step in as an alternate on the 4-by-1 team,” Richardson said. “In her first short relay of the year she ran a phenomenal leg that helped our women’s team move to number 5 on the all-time WSU list.” 

Ekelem has already proved that this season by dropping two seconds off her best time in the 400-meter individual event. She said her goal is to make it to regionals in the 400 and compete in the top-48.

Her real passion for track and field belongs to the 4×400-meter relays. 

“Just the adrenalin rush, getting the baton across,” Ekelem said. “It’s a different atmosphere, and it’s exciting. I like going out and catching people.” 

Richardson said Ekelem has a very quiet and calm demeanor, but she is a very fierce competitor on the track. 

“She has become a very reliable relay leg for us this year on the women’s 4-by-4 team,” Richardson said.   

By next year Ekelem said she hopes to go to nationals in the 4×100-meter relay race and nationals in the 400-meter individual race. 

“You can see in everything that Christiana does that she wants to be great,” Richardson said.  “She is such a coachable kid that wants to learn all that she can about the sport. I appreciate that she is always willing to do whatever she has to to get better.”