Harper aims to overcome hurdle at regionals

Dawn Harper has seen her fair share of injuries.

So when the senior runner was asked to run with a leg injury at
the Pac-10 Championships, it was nothing new.

Although Harper has fought through injuries before, her recent
leg injury was enough to literally detain her.

Wearing a wrap on her leg, Harper competed in the 100-meter
hurdles. However, as the race progressed, her wrap fell and
eventually caught on a hurdle, stopping her completely.

“On the seventh hurdle, it grabbed the hurdle ““ half
of it was still wrapped on (my leg) and half of it was on (the
hurdle),” Harper said. “And it yanked me so hard it
stopped me.”

Despite this disappointment, Harper is ready to move on and
compete in this weekend’s regional competition, in which she
will race in the 100m hurdles and the 4x100m relay. Harper
currently holds the fourth-best time in hurdles at 13.20 seconds,
and is projected to finish in the top five.

Harper is also ready to move on mentally. “You have to
switch up your whole mind-set; you have to go into it stronger then
ever,” she said. “(You) can’t think about things
that should’ve, would’ve, or could’ve happened
““ as long as I keep my head together, my body will
follow.”

Complementing Harper’s experience is the youth of freshman
Nicole Leach, who currently competes in the 400m hurdles as well as
the 400m race. Heading into the NCAA Regionals, Leach boasts the
best time among all competitors in the hurdles, at 56.89, and the
second-best time in the 400m run.

But perhaps more important than the race itself is the
experience Leach will be gaining. Leach has momentum going into
regionals after a strong performance for the Pac-10 title. Running
her signature 400m hurdles and her 400m run, Leach placed first and
second, respectively.

Even against higher-caliber competition, Leach is still
confident in herself. “It’s in me to go into every race
thinking I can win,” Leach said. “The last 150 meters
(are) the most important because you want to set up with your
rhythm, and on the seventh hurdle take off and go.”

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