Athletes of the week

MALE

Michael Behling, Columbus North senior track athlete

Behling won the 110- and 300-meter hurdles to lead the Bull Dogs to a season-opening win against Whiteland.

His performance last week:

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“It was a pretty good first time coming out of the blocks. However, I really want to improve throughout the season and try to get the school records.”

Do you do anything special to prepare?

“I eat a Big Cheese every single time and listen to music and try to get in the zone.”

Favorite drink:

“Water or Gatorade”

Favorite food:

“Fettucine alfredo”

Favorite music group:

“Michael Jackson”

Favorite book:

“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Next”

Favorite class:

“My mom’s Medical Interventions class”

Role model:

“My older brother (Matt Behling)”

Best advice:

“To keep pushing, and whatever you do, if you want something go get it. Don’t sit there and let it slip by.”

Athletics goal:

“To place at state and to get the school record in both the 300 hurdles and the 110 hurdles.”

If you could travel anywhere:

“Australia, to hang out with some kangaroos.”

FEMALE

Taylor Stamper, Columbus North senior track athlete

Stamper won the shot put and discus to lead the Bull Dogs to a season-opening win against Whiteland.

Her performance last week:

“I didn’t do really well last season (personal record-wise), and the first meet of the season, I PR’d by two feet in the shot put and six feet in the discus, so that was a good start to the season.”

Do you do anything special to prepare?

“We have a diet guideline that we try to stay on the dinner before a meet, just to make sure our bodies are ready for the meet.”

Favorite drink:

“Water. I’m not a big fan of the Powerades and Gatorades.”

Favorite food:

“Anything Mexican”

Favorite music group:

“Jack Johnson”

Favorite book:

“The Hunger Games series”

Favorite class:

“Math”

Role model:

“My dad (Tom Stamper). He’s one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met, and I look up to him in every way. He always comes to all my meets and helps me stay calm and positive.”

Best advice:

“To have faith in yourself. Especially in the high school atmosphere, people like to put you down and not have faith in you, so to have hope in yourself will get you farther than anything else.”

Athletics goal:

“I would like to constantly improve over the season. Last year, I stayed pretty constant all season, so I’d like to better myself throughout the season as opposed to just the beginning.”

If you could travel anywhere:

“Europe, because they have a lot of cool sightseeing stuff over there and I’ve never been there.”