Junior sprinter places in 3 events at 1st outdoor meet of season
Junior Vashti Bandy got involved with track and field in seventh grade after a nudge from her mother, who ran track in high school.
“I’ve always been a fast runner, and I liked it,” Bandy said. “I’m really competitive too, so I enjoyed it.”
Bandy’s outstanding career at USC has included being named an All-American three times. She began her outdoor season on a strong note last weekend at the Hurricane Invitational in Miami, taking fifth place in the 100-meter dash. The junior was also part of the 4x100, which took first place, and the 4x400 relay, which finished second.
Bandy said she was “pretty happy” with her performance in the Hurricane Invitational.
“That was actually the best opener I’ve had for the outdoor season,” Bandy said. “It made me excited for the season. I know there’s nowhere to go but up.”
The junior has goals she would like to accomplish during the final years of her collegiate career, which include qualifying for regionals in individual events.
“It would be great to make it to Nationals, but I’m going to start with Regionals first,” Bandy said.
She also said she would like to make it to nationals as a member of a relay team.
“I think we have a really great chance of placing at Nationals this year with some of the incoming freshmen,” Bandy said.
The winning 4x100 team included two freshmen, Alexis Murphy and Tyler Brockington. Murphy also took sixth place in the 200-meter, and Brockington took fourth place in the 100 hurdles.
Bandy regards winning the North Carolina state meet in high school as the greatest accomplishment of her track career. She said she enjoys competing as part of a team.
“In the relay you’re running for each other, and it gives you extra adrenaline when you’re running,” Bandy said. “It’s not always for me, it’s for my teammates.”
The junior brings forth a work ethic that helps the Gamecock women’s team, which is No. 15 in the nation.
“I’m a hard worker,” Bandy said. “I don’t like quitting, even if I’m tired, I go all the way to the finish line.”
But Bandy added that she tries to keep her teammates “down to earth” by being relaxed and laid back, reminding them that track is a game.
The junior said she’d like to improve some physical aspects of her race, such as her strength and her starts, which she calls “the weakest points” of her race. But she also wants to improve the mental aspects of her running.
She said there were times last year when she put limitations on herself but has learned she is capable of doing anything she puts her mind to.
“I’m being more open to the idea of being a champion and being able to get to the next level,” Bandy said. “The biggest part of my preparation is mental. If I had a bad performance the week before, I just have to let it go and move on to the next one.”