Brenda Faluade is already making her mark in women’s track and field in just her second year at Miami. Our Chris Hamilton sat down with the All-American jumper.
First Impression: What is your favorite event?
Brenda Faluade: Either the long jump or triple jump, depending on the day.
FI: Why should people pay attention to women’s track and field?
BF: Honestly, I don’t think we get enough respect. After indoor nationals, which we won, I think we get more.
FI: What is one race that you would pay to see?
BF: I would pay to see Flo-Jo [Florence Griffith-Joyner] run the 100-meter and 200-meter against today’s top athletes.
FI: Would she win?
BF: Oh, most definitely.
FI: Is there any rivalry between the track team and the field team?
BF: There is a little joke. The track people think because they run more, that they are in greater shape than us.
FI: Which is more important: setting a personal record or seeing your team finish first in the meet?
BF: If I set a personal record and everyone else does what they are supposed to do, then it’s a win-win situation
FI: What is the hardest aspect of running track?
BF: Training. Jumping is so stressful and your body and joints. A lot of us have knee and ankle problems. During practice it hard for us to work beyond the pain sometimes, but we push each other through it.
FI: We’ve seen the commercial played during the NCAA season that says, “Most of us will go professional in something other than sports.” What is your “something other?”
BF: I would like to be a dentist or open up my own exercise clinic.
Chris Hamilton can be contacted at
c.hamilton2@umiami.edu.