Follow in the footsteps Sports bag evokes memories of role model STORY AND PHOTO BY YIFEI WU
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niforms, T-shirts, running shoes, spikes — the items in senior Rhea Choudhury’s sports bag seem no different than other track and field member. Yet each item has a history, recalling stories from Choudhury’s earliest days on the track and field team. The most unique items in the bag are the running spikes that belonged to former MVHS track and field coach, and former Olympian, Erica Ashley McLain, who convinced Choudhury to join track and field. “[McLain] is the reason that I fell in love with track and the reason that I find it a family,” Choudhury said. A gymnast for most of her life, Choudhury had not planned on joining track and field — until she met McLain, a former gymnast turned a track and field athlete. Once on the team, Choudhury gravitated to found herself interested in triple jump, an event that uses similar skill sets to gymnastics, an event that McLain also
competed in during the tryouts for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. At the start beginning of the first season freshman year in freshman year, McLain gave the light-weighted running spikes to Choudhury, spikes that Choudhury continues to use to this day. “[McLain] was always so energetic and so enthusiastic, and whenever someone did something well, she would start jumping up and down,” Choudhury said. To Choudhury, McLain is not only a coach, but also a role model. Aside from being a former Olympian and gymnast, McLain is also studying in the MBA program in Berkeley and is trying to become an entrepreneur. Choudhury is motivated by her enthusiasm, energy and breadth of knowledge — characteristics that, nowadays, Choudhury likes to identify herself with. “She is just amazing,” Choudhury said. “I want to be like her.” y.wu@elestoque.org
1 YEAR OLD Each year, Choudhury gets a new pair of running shoes because she wears them for practices and sprints competions.
4 YEARS OLD
In order to keep the running spikes in good condition, Choudhury uses them sparingly and changes the spikes before each season.
4 YEARS OLD
Senior Rhea Choudhury
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1 YEAR OLD
4 MONTHS OLD
MARCH 11, 2015
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