MARIOKY SCOTT
TRACK & FIELD
From Panama To Virginia, Running Is A Way of Life By Junious Smith III Photos by Marioky Scott
Sometimes, one conversation is all it takes to change everything. Marioky Scott could attest, carving out a great career in track and field throughout the years. Born on February 28, 1969, Scott lived in Panama until she was 14. While she was brought into the sport early, it wasn’t in a conventional way — and it wasn’t her first choice in athletics. “My first love when it came to sports was swimming,” Scott said. “When I was seven years old in Panama, I was part of a swim club and it introduced us to running because it went hand and hand, as running increased speed in the pool.” Scott continued swimming competitively until she moved to Fort Monroe, VA., which brought another change to her life — and the conversation which brought her to track and field. “When I moved to Virginia, I attempted swimming here, but Panama has tropical weather, which isn’t as cold as it is here,” Scott said. “As a result, I had illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia which forced me to give up swimming. I also attempted basketball for a little while. One day after practice, the track coach at the school, Albert Marrow, said I looked like a track runner, and asked me to come to practice. The next day I went and never looked back.” “Coach Albert and (his wife) Lavon were a saving grace. They nurtured me in ways unimaginable. Not only were they my track coaches, but they were my parents away from home. They became mentors and guided me through some difficult times during my high school years. Without their support, participating in track and field would not have been possible.” Scott quickly adapted to the sport at Kecoughtan High School in Hampton, participating in the 100 and 300 meter hurdles, along with the 4x100 and 4x400 relay races. Scott’s performances helped her receive a track scholarship at Virginia State University, but after redshirting her freshman year to focus more on academics, she decided to move closer to her family.
“Coach Albert and (his wife) Lavon were a saving grace. They nurtured me in ways unimaginable. Not only were they my track coaches, but they were my parents away from home. They became mentors and guided me through some difficult times during my high school years. Without their support, participating in track and field would not have been possible.” 18
Scott would go to Christopher Newport University in Newport News, participating in numerous events and excelling throughout. In Scott’s senior year in 1995, she was named conference champion in the 100 meter hurdle, was on champion teams in the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays, and was second in the 400 meter hurdle. Scott was also secondteam all-conference in the 55 and 400 meter hurdles, 4x800 meter relay, shot put, and cross country. She also finished second in the heptathlon, consisting of the 100 meter hurdle, 200 and 800 meter races, long jump, high jump, shot put, and javelin. Scott said she focused more toward running while maintaining her versatility in the field portions. “I primarily did the field events once or twice a week, at the beginning of practice or the end,” Scott said. “For me, the 400 meter hurdles was the toughest — it’s a combination of speed and maintaining stamina in between each hurdle. By the time you hit the 300-meter mark, your legs are heavy and your arms aren’t as fast. The hurdles appear taller toward the end of the race, but you have to stay mentally tough to finish strong.”