Making progress: Chantel Malone
March 11, 2010
Grant Abston, Texas Media Relations As a 16-year-old freshman from the British Virgin Islands, Chantel Malone felt out of place at when she arrived the University of Texas in the spring of 2007. Malone was having trouble adjusting to a new schedule in a new city surrounded by older students, but for the former youth champion, the track became a comfort zone and she immediately leaned on her coaches and teammates to adjust to the new surroundings. "I had times where it would be emotionally hard being away from home or whatever, but coach Bev [Kearney], coach [Rose] Brimmer, LaGwyn [Durden], almost everyone you could basically think about on this team who was a coach helped me out," she said. Now in her third year, Malone has transformed herself into the Big 12 Long Jump champion. Malone recorded a personal-best leap of 21-4.25 (6.51m) at the Big 12 Indoor Championships on Feb. 26, to automatically qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 12-13. The junior also snapped a 13-year old Big 12 meet record with her mark. For Malone, it was a breakthrough performance, but the path has not always been easy in her time at Texas. Malone competed for the British Virgin Islands National Track and Field Team as a youth athlete, becoming one of the most successful in BVI history after winning seven medals in the under-17 division over a three-year span. She was a four-time Elmore Soutt High School Athlete of the Year and graduated in 2007 before researching different options to continue her athletic career. Malone had never heard of the University of Texas, but a phone call from Texas assistant coach Rose Brimmer changed everything. "I never knew about Texas, but after coach Brimmer called me, I started hearing tons," Malone said. "I think the coaching staff at Texas was the main reason why I came to Texas."
Despite not having an entire fall to get acclimated to the program and, Malone quickly jumped into competition upon her arrival. She posted personal-best marks in the long jump and triple jump at the 2007 Big 12 Indoor Championships, but failed to qualify for nationals in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. In her second season, Malone once again did not qualify for nationals in jumps in either season, but she improved her marks, setting personal-bests in both the long and triple jump. Malone also ran the anchor leg of the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championship 4x400m relay to help Texas capture its first NCAA title since 2005, earning the first All-America honor of her career. "My freshman year I didn't get to experience the fall training program with coach Bev," Malone said. "During my sophomore year, it was really a [shock]. I did not expect anything like it. It was intervals back to back to back, so I think my body just had to get adjusted to the type of workouts because I never had experienced workouts like that." After completing an entire offseason and having two full seasons under her belt, Malone entered this season knowing the preparation needed to take the next step. Instead of focusing on the overall workout, Malone began breaking down her training by intervals and focusing more effort on each one. Her efforts resulted in four first place finishes in the long jump, capped by her performance at the 2010 Big 12 Indoor Championships, while placing third and setting a personal-best mark of 42-6.75 (12.97) in the triple jump. "Personally, the fall is always kind of my weak area, but this season was different because I was more focused on what I needed to do as an individual. "Was I surprised, I wouldn't say surprised, but was I definitely excited," Malone said. "It was just a surreal experience but I feel that although I got that mark, I can't settle on that mark, I'm aiming for farther this upcoming meet." Malone and the rest of the Longhorns will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., this weekend with hopes of capturing her first jumping national title. For Malone, the high quality competition is nothing new, but this time around, she is confident her training will help her maximize her potential on a national stage. "I'm just going to go there and execute everything that I've learned," Malone said. "I'm going in with the mindset that I have to put my best foot forward and cannot afford to relax, so I think I'm ready. I know I'm ready." |
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