Sheily Ramirez
Feb 10, 2026
At last Saturday’s Mid-Atlantic Prep League track championships at The Lawrenceville School, both the boys and girls indoor track teams earned fourth-place finishes, closing out a season defined by adaptation, resilience, and steady improvement despite unusual training conditions.
This winter, the team did not have access to its indoor track as the dining hall was relocated to the Hale Field House while Ford Hall was under renovation, forcing athletes to train outside or find alternative spaces. That lack of a consistent facility shaped much of the season’s preparation. Head coach Betsy Cunningham said, “We did about as well as possible given the circumstances, without having a facility for indoor training and with such a cold and snowy winter.”
Bauhinia Chen ’26 added, “The training that we did this season was honestly not ideal because we didn’t have our regular track, and it’s also been the coldest year I’ve experienced here. So, I think given the subpar training we had, I’m glad I’m still able to sustain a good level of performance that I’m happy with.”
Several athletes delivered standout performances despite the challenges. The boys 4x400 relay of Eric Cittadie ’26, Arnav Rao ’26, Gustavo Santana ’26, and Imangali Zhakan ’26 broke the school record with a time of 3:33.18, and Zhakan won the 800 meters in a close finish.
About the MAPL meet, Cunningham said, “The goal was to score as many points as possible. This often means having a different strategy than you might if you were trying to run a fast time. The field events usually perform as usual, which means jumping or throwing as far as possible to make finals…. [M[any athletes post[ed] personal records across several events.”
Zhakan said, “Admittedly, the goal was to win, and I did, but I was unhappy with how the race played out. But overall, I built a lot of grit and resilience this year by training without an indoor facility.”
Emily Wallace ’29, who placed fourth in the 55-meter hurdles, set a personal record. “I wasn’t completely satisfied with my MAPLs performance, but I still placed well, so there was improvement,” Wallace said. She added that a memorable moment came late in the meet. “During the last few races, the team was lined up along the banked curve, and everyone was cheering and supporting one another.”
Teressa Nyarko ’26 added, “I feel as though my performance at MAPLs was a direct reflection of all my hard work throughout the season,” she said. “Seeing everyone finishing hard and ending with a smile reminded me of the beauty of track.”
Looking ahead, Cunningham said the team will shift its focus at the PAISSA meet toward personal records rather than points. After a season shaped by compromise and adjustment, the teams will look to finish strong with a renewed focus on individual progress.