Powell lays it all on the line at the MAC Indoor Championships
Five years ago, senior Renaldo Powell looked up at the Central Michigan record board for the first time.
Of all the record numbers, he decided to write down just one. On his first pair of track spikes, he wrote in permanent marker Greg Richardson’s 60m hurdles record of 7.76.
From that moment it was Powell’s goal to run under 7.76. Every time he put on those shoes, scribbled in Sharpie was a reminder of the school record.
Now, Powell has moved on to new spikes, but he is closer than ever to the time on the dilapidated shoes sitting in his locker. Last weekend at Grand Valley State University, Powell posted a new personal record of 7.80, putting him just .04 seconds away from Richardson’s record.
“I tried to get that .04 seconds on a stopwatch and I can’t. It's that fast,” Powell said. “The good thing about hurdles is that there’s always something I can improve on. To the naked eye, I can do something that looks absolutely the same, but will drop that tenth of a second.”
Standing at 5-foot-8, his stature puts him at a disadvantage in clearing all five hurdles.
At the Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships, he hopes to clear at least one hurdle to cut off that .04-second gap that separates him from the school record.
The stakes are higher than just the school record. Not only is he within milliseconds of the school record, Powell is ranked first in the MAC and 16th in the nation, but is in his last year of eligibility as a fifth-year senior.
Mark Guthrie, director of track and field, said Powell is the Chippewas best shot at a MAC champion.
Powell has taken the longest strides toward the record this season, setting two personal records. He attributes this to the new training regimen started by Guthrie, who has given each event group a specific coach to groom its athletes.
Powell gets direct supervision from hurdles coach Dionne Henley, a two-time Olympic hurdler from Jamaica.
Powell's key to success is to visualize each race. Before every race, he watches the race of the current 60m world record holder, closes his eyes, and envisions himself running that race.
“If I can visualize it, I can do it,” Powell said. “Coach Dionne told me that my leading arm was too far extended and I need to bring it up to my forehead, so I visualize a Navy Seal saluting. Everyone has their own way of doing things, mine is using my imagination.”
In order to qualify for the national meet, which will be held March 14-15, Powell has to maintain a national ranking in the top 16 or higher. While Powell is ranked 16th, other athletes could out run him during championship weekend.
“I think he’s capable of running around that 7.75 point, which year-in and year-out puts him pretty close to the national cut-off,” Guthrie said. “He’s been doing this for four and a half years. Hopefully, that maturity will help him stay fast and focused in a critical situation.”
Powell must to break the record if he wants to make it to nationals.
If he is able to stay above the 16th-place ranking, his goal is to finish off his hurdling career as an All-American, a title given to competitors that qualify for the final heat, or the top eight.
“He’s a hard worker. When it comes down to the track, he’s dedicated, focused and ready to explode,” said freshman hurdler Quincy Briggs. “He’s a leader and a role model that I look up to. I know he can get the record and make it to nationals; he really wants it.”
With everything riding on the 60m-hurdles at the MAC finals, the pressure couldn’t be any higher for Powell. The meet will take place Friday and Saturday at Kent State.
