Nataly Walters showed up Friday morning at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium with an umbrella, chair and a backpack cooler full of cold water.
Those were new items for the defending PIAA Class 2A long and triple jump champion.
The Palmerton junior also brought her usual bundle of nerves after a shaky night of sleep.
“Nataly Walters is never calm,” she admitted. “I try to be. I try to make it look that way. I was very nervous last night. Our dorm room sounded like someone was mowing the lawn all night.”
Despite having to scramble across the turf field after running a leg on the Blue Bombers’ 400-meter relay team that qualified for Saturday’s final to start the long jump, Walters mowed down the field again.
After a few moments of self-reflection and encouragement, a calm Walters led the competition from the start. She jumped 18 feet, 8.75 inches on her second attempt to repeat her gold medal performance.
“Distractions are meant to mess you up,” the junior said. “But I didn’t let them.
“I knew what I had to do. I just had to go out there and do it.”
Walters was better prepared this season after winning the long and triple jumps last season. She was aware of the dorm room experience, the restless nights on an unfamiliar campus and the pressure of being the one competitor with a target on her back.
But the Palmerton standout took care of what she could to ease her mind and body by bringing those necessities she didn’t have in 2023. She jumped a season best, just shy of her career best of 19-1.5.
She’ll bring them again for Saturday’s 2A triple jump competition at 12:30 p.m. But there is another obstacle that brings an added challenge.
“I’m excited,” Walters said. “We made the 4 by 1 finals, but it’s right in the middle of triple jump. So, I’m very nervous for that.
“Today, the 4 by 1 was at 12 o’clock so I couldn’t celebrate with the girls. I had to go right to checking in for jumping. There are some things you have to give up. That’s what I did that.”
It’s worked to this point in her career, so there’s no reason to doubt Walters’ chances.
Morning Call reporter Tom Housenick can be reached at 610-820-6651 or at thousenick@mcall.com
Most Popular
Comments / 0