Momentum could be Nina Schultz’s middle name.
The New Westminster native will head into the NCAA national indoor track and field championships next week in Texas with a bunch of it.
Coming off a strong month in competition, Schultz will aim to keep the good results coming.
Last week in Iowa, the sophomore captured the Big 12 High Point Award for the second time in her college career, leading her Kansas State University Wildcats to the podium.
After placing second in the long jump, Schultz nailed a personal best in the high jump with a jump of 1.85 metres, exceeding her previous best of 1.82m. Minutes later, she placed fourth in the 60m hurdles with an NCAA qualifying time of 8.27 seconds.
“I think the biggest battle is always mental. We are physically prepared to come and do well,” Schultz told a KSU reporter. “Overcoming mental barriers is always a tough thing to do, but I was prepared to push myself.”
Now, the one-time B.C. high school track and field champion and New West Spartans product will line up to compete in the pentathlon at the NCAA championships, beginning March 9.
Her score of 4,502 points three weeks ago at the Texas Tech Shootout was an NCAA-best total and personal best, and ranked seventh all-time in Div. 1 history.
“I am hoping to just go in and improve on my score from earlier this year. I do not like to go into competition worrying about placing so I think if I execute my events I will be able to place pretty well,” the 18-year-old said.
A year ago, Schultz placed third at the indoor championships.
