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DyeStat Discussions - EP207 - Sabrina Southerland
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Nike Oregon Track Club Elite professional athlete Sabrina Southerland, the 2018 NCAA Division 1 indoor 800-meter champion at Oregon and an All-American for the Ducks as well as during her time at Georgetown, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss her experiences training during the past month with teammate Nijel Amos in his home country of Botswana, along with South Africa. Southerland, who is currently in the Botswanan capital city of Gaborone, arrived in South Africa in late December, but as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, she and Amos decided to move north to Botswana, where they have been since. She shares how significant it is to be training with Amos and other elite athletes in Botswana and how much of a national hero that her teammate has become. Southerland also speaks about the challenging hill workouts in certain mountain areas, along with the open dirt roads that create opportunities for trail running. She expresses gratitude for the warm climate and the picturesque environment in which she trains, which provides a distinct contrast to the inclement weather she would have experienced had she returned home to visit family in New York during her holiday break. Southerland revisits what the Christmas and New Year's eve holidays were like in South Africa, as well as the chance to view so many different species of wildlife in both countries. She also reflects back on her summer of competition in Oregon at both the Return of the Dual virtual event against Atlanta Track Club, as well as the Big Friendly meets, and her opportunities to compete in mixed relays, both the 2x2400 and the 4x400. Southerland reminisces about her head-to-head matchup against Donavan Brazier, representing Pete Julian's training group, on the anchor leg of the mixed 4x400. She also reflects on recovering from an Achilles' injury in 2019 and how grateful she is to be healthy again and her appreciation for having fellow middle-distance standouts Chanelle Price and Hanna Green as Nike Oregon Track Club Elite teammates, especially in the 800. |