Teamwork takes track runners to nationals

Mar 6, 2019

After winning MIAA Division 4 state relay races, four Old Rochester boys track team members will be headed  the Indoor Track Nationals in New York City March 8. 

Seniors Adam Sylvia and Anthony Childs were paired with junior Tucker Guard and sophomore Jayven Pina-Francis for a relay team based on their top times in 200, 400 and 800 meter events.

Outside of relays, Childs and Pina-Francis run 200, 300 or 400 meter races. Both athletes also play football. Childs lives in Mattapoisett, and Pina-Francis in Marion. 

Guard competes in hurdles, high jump, long jump as well as 200 meter and 400 meter races.  The Marion resident is also a football player and pentathete, who would have made it to the state pentathalon had he not caught a bad case of the flu.

Sylvia, a Rochester runner who also has a background in cross country, typically focuses on longer-distance events. He competed two weeks ago in 1000 meter race at  the All- States, where he finished 14th.

Going to Nationals is exciting, but the training is pretty standard track fare and involves treadmills and lots of lifting.

Though, “we’ve been working on our handoffs a lot,” Pina-Francis noted.

Sylvia finds running on a team motivating.

“There’s always the individual aspect, but in order to run a fast relay, you have to feed off your teammates and run fast for them,” Sylvia explained.

Asked how they felt about the New York meet, the answers ranged from “pretty good,” to a simple “ready, ” to “excited, nervous.”   

When they aren’t competing in Emerging Elite track events or playing other sports, the four enjoy hanging out with friends or girlfriends, and leisure activities like playing Fortnite.