This is the second in our series of features and interviews with the legends of the past decade. Our All-Decade team members. Look for more interviews posted every day over the next month.
EBONY EUTSEY
Who is the greatest Florida high school girls 400 meter runner ever? Easy. Sanya Richards. But while that question is an easy one right now, give Ebony Eutsey one more year and it might not be that easy to answer.
She has grabbed our attention since her freshman year when she debuted at the Sam Burley Hall of Fame Meet with an amazing 54.60. That year she continued to impress and improve in both the 400 and the 200. At the state meet she won the 400 with an impressive 54.15 (54.10 prelims) and took second in the 200 with a 24.29. She also helped her team toward a runner-up spot in the 4x400.
As if that wasn't enough of an exclaimation point on a stunning freshman season, she headed up to Illinois for the USATF Youth Nationals where she absolutely blew the doors of in a 52.67 intermediate age group national championship! That has been the tone for her entire high school career thus far.
Her sophomore year she racked up two more state championships with a 53.85 in the 400 and a 23.79 in the 200. And headed out to the left coast for the prestigious Golden West Classic where she won the 400 with a time of 53.23 and took fourth in the 200 with 24.21.
What amazed me most about her this year, her junior year, was what I saw at the state meet. It was a look of pure determination and focus. At first I didn't recognize it. From the outside, I saw a girl who had just won another 400 meter state championship with a national leading time of 52.68 who seemed uphappy after the race. Ebony seeks nothing but perfection in her race. She feels what she is capable of and has the unrelenting drive and determination to try to eek out every last ounce from her body. She wants to run that perfect race. She wants to be the best. She wants to own every record in the book.
So her junior year, she won another 400 meter title at the state meet. She won another championship in the 200 (24.06). She helped with another runner-up 4x400 relay team. But that wasn't enough. She kept going this year. Seeking perfection.
So she decided she'd head up to North Carolina, where she won the national high school title in the 400 meters at Nike Outdoor in a personal best time of 52.07. That wasn't enough so she decided she'd prove it at the USTAF World Youth Trials, winning in 52.78 and making Team USA. That wasn't enough... so she headed to Italy for the World Championships and darn it if she didn't win the world championship...!
With a host of state, national, and now world championships under her belt Ebony still awaits what she believes she is capable of. Looking toward her senior hear she will be looking for big things and be satisfied with nothing less than perfection. The state records in Florida are lofty (50.69 for Sanya Richards and 20.77 for Chandra Cheeseborough), but are no doubt targets for her senior season. And the bigger target is a little further out: the 2012 London Games.
Interview
When you reflect back on your career so far what are you most proud of?
When I reflect back on my career, I'm most proud of all the accomplishments I've made this year. Such as running PR's in the 400 this year and winning the world youth 400 in Italy.
Who or what things have made the biggest impacts on your success?
My Mom,God, coaches and the people around me who've helped me alone the way have made a huge impact on my life.
Who are some of athletes you look up to?
Some of the athletes I look up to are Sanya Richards, Allyson Felix,and Tyson Gay...they are so competitive and it seems as though they have faith and pride in what they do.
What are some of the best memories you've made so far in high school athletics?
The best memories that I've made in high school athletics is competing with the best, winning my events, setting new records, winning state and being on the best team in Florida, also having some of the best coaches around to coach me.
You have one more season left in high school... what are you hoping to accomplish in your senior year? And what are your goals for college and beyond?
My last season I hope to run a 51 in the 400, and a 22 in the 200. I hope to be the best next year at what I do. I hope to become stronger and gain more knowledge and school and in the sport that I do. As for college, I hope to attend the college that best fits me, not others. I hope the college I pick, I'm happy their and I would love for the coach to lead me into the next Olympics.
Up Next in the Series: Jenny Barringer (Coming Monday)
