Year in Review 2021-2022

SPORTS

BOURNE TO RUN: SPRINTER BREAKS HIS OWN RECORD I N T H E 6 0 - M E T E R DA S H E V E N T F O R T H E T H I R D T I M E

S

B Y O R I G RA DY

ophomore track and field runner Jalen Leonard-Osbourne holds the Ithaca College program record for the 60-meter dash at 6.78 seconds, which is now tied for first in the country for Division III this season.

Leonard-Osbourne broke his own record in three consecutive weeks against Moravian University at the Nazareth Indoor Conference Challenge Cup and the Bomber Invitational on Feb. 5. During the stretch, he has improved his time by 0.14 seconds.

The difference may be small, but his previous program record of 6.92 seconds would not be enough to even put him in the top-20 fastest times this season.

Leonard-Osbourne has been scorching the track as of late, but success and competition are not new grounds for the record-breaker.

Leonard-Osbourne expects nothing less than success, which is why he has no expectations for slowing down after tying for the fastest 60-meter dash in the country. He is used to breaking records.

“I expected it and I just keep trying to get better and keep progressing over time,” Leonard-Osbourne said. “My peak isn’t here.”

He knows that he has had to put in the work to achieve the new record and is soaking in the recent achievement. He is now already looking forward to what is next and is hungry for more.

“These next couple of meets are stepping stones for me to reach my goals at nationals,” Leonard-Osbourne said. “I’m just proud of myself honestly.”

He said that running the 60-meter dash was an easy decision and transition from playing football. During the 2021 season, however, he injured his left wrist, which caused him to miss time in the football season. Since then, Leonard-Osbourne has spent a lot of time in the gym working on lower and upper body strength with a fellow sprinter and football teammate, junior Daniel Hutchinson.

“I’ve noticed in the weight room that he’s always trying to get back to where he was and even higher,” Hutchinson said. “That motivates me to even do better in the weight room.”

Leonard-Osbourne said his time in the weight room has kept him in prime shape, but the process of recovering from a broken wrist has not been all smooth.

“Honestly, that took a toll on me, but keeping my mind right and knowing I had another season while getting back in shape put me back on the right track,” he said.

Leonard-Osbourne also said his success is not

just from the amount of hard work he puts into preparing his body and studying the sport. In fact, a lot of his success comes from his extremely competitive and confident spirit. In the three meets he has raced

a great personality.”

Leonard-Osbourne said that his goal was to finish the indoor track season by maintaining his performance and remaining as strong as he started.

Sophomore Jalen Leonard-Osbourne broke the Ithaca College record for the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.78 seconds. Ash Bailot/The Ithacan

in this season, Leonard-Osbourne has won the event each time. “[Setting another program record] feels great,” Leonard-Osbourne said. “I put in all the work, so I expect nothing less.”

Hutchinson is also like a brother to Leonard-Osborne. Hutchinson said he understands that Leonard-Osbourne’s confidence trickles down to the rest of the team and helps with the overall team success.

“His determination is something that’s like no other, and his competitiveness brings out the best in me,” Hutchinson said. “He wants to see everybody do their best, and he’s always pushing and motivating others to do their best as well, which makes him a well-rounded individual.”

For Hutchinson to say that about his teammate is high praise, and it reveals how valuable Leonard-Osbourne is as both a teammate and a leader. Leonard-Osbourne’s strong indoor season so far has played a part in bringing the Bombers to be ranked 15th in the country among NCAA Division III teams.

Jim Nichols, men’s track and field head coach, also said he admires Leonard-Osbourne’s work ethic and his drive to be the best version of himself.

He is proud of all of the success Leonard-Osbourne is having.

“Jalen has a gift, as far as an athlete with talent, but he’s also working hard at trying to be the best that he can be,” Nichols said. “He’s got

“I’m going to try to win the Liberty League 60-meter dash,” he said. “After that then the All-Atlantic. …

After that, hopefully take it to nationals and see how that goes.”

Leonard-Osbourne did make it to nationals in March and, when he did, the runner became the college’s first-ever national champion. He won the 60-meter dash and, once again, broke his record in the event, clocking in at 6.76 seconds.

Before nationals, Leonard-Osbourne was tied for the fastest time in the country with Jaylen Grant, a student-athlete from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Grant previously ran the even at 6.78 seconds in December 2021 and matching it Jan. 28 and Feb. 12. Grant said that he runs the best he can so he can get his best time possible but that he likes the competition with Leonard-Osbourne. “[Leonard-Osbourne] is doing his thing over there [in Ithaca],” Grant said. “And I’m excited to compete against someone when that time presents itself.”

Leonard-Osburne was also named the 2021–22 Liberty League Men’s Indoor Track & Field Track Co-Performer of the year, along with Matt Lecky, an athlete from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

With a few more semesters left at the college and a few more indoor track seasons to go, there is still plenty of time for Leonard-Osbourne to break his record yet again.

135