TRACK: Abigail Burke looks to continue her dominance on the track field as she soars to new heights.
By Jack Weggeland, Staff Writer
After only one year of competing on the Riverside Poly track and field team—participating in the high jump—student athlete Abigail Burke (10) discovered her previously unknown and naturally gifted talent. From the beginning to the end of her freshman season, Burke increased her height from 4’8” to 5’5”. Since the beginning of the 2016 season, she has improved her height to 5’6” and hopes to increase it to 5’10” this season. “I am very impressed with her. I’ve never had an athlete or let alone seen someone excel as much as she has,” Miranda Reid, high jump coach, commented.
Burke’s grueling and extreme workout schedule of daily, four-hour practices, once a day, Monday through Friday consist of extreme weight training and endurance running drills to build strong, lean muscle throughout her legs and core. As a result, this will improve her technique to contribute to a higher leap and continue to set near-immaculate standards. “Her determination at every practice and meet to improve is what helps her excel and hit the higher heights,” Reid said.
Her hard work resulted in an impressive jump that currently has her tied for first of all high school girls in California. This height qualifies her jump as the third best of all high school sophomores in the nation. In addition, Burke’s unmatched work ethic and determination, combined with her naturally gifted athletic ability and physique have provided her the opportunity every high school athlete wants. Her current height of 5”6’ puts her on schedule to break the school record of 5” 7’ which was set in 1984. In pursuit of this amazing accomplishment, Burke hopes to compete in California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), advance to the finals, and take home the grand award. “I hope to continue to participate in track and field in the high jump when I move on to college. I want to compete at a Division 1 school with a competitive track and field team, so I can pursue my life-long dream of going to the Olympics,” Burke affirmed.