Following up their recent victory at the Mercer County Championship, the South girls’ track and field team placed fourth at the Central Jersey Group 4 sectionals on May 23 and 24.
Among the team’s many impressive runners are sisters Edyln and Edwina Gulama. The girls, who live in West Windsor, were born in Africa, where they began their running careers by participating in a yearly relay event.
After moving to the United States, Edlyn, now a junior, began running cross country in sixth grade and track in eighth grade. Edwina, a freshman, started running track in sixth grade.
At sectionals both girls ran in the 4×400 and 4×100 meter relays, in which South placed third and fourth, respectively. Additionally, Edlyn competed in the 800 meter run, where she came in fifth, and the 4×800 meter relay, where the South team came in second. Edwina competed in the 100 and 400 meter dashes.
The girls say that they enjoy competing together in the relays.
“I love being on the team with her. It’s fun,” says Edlyn. “Also, I feel like it pushes me. I’m older; I don’t want her to beat me.”
Edwina also appreciates that running together in relays allows her to compare herself to her sister.
“Even though she’s older, sometimes I have a better time for my part,” she says.
The Gulamas will also be competing in the upcoming Group 4 championship meet.
Says Edlyn: “I’m prepared for it.” She noted that she is excited to have the opportunity to compete against the best runners in New Jersey.
Her sister, however, finds the upcoming meet more daunting. She points out that the rest of the South 4×400 team is composed of her sister and Deirdre Casey, both juniors, and sophomore Christina Rancan, who is one of the top runners in the state.
“It’s kind of nerve-wracking being a freshman,” she says.
Despite her anxiety, coach Todd Smith describes her as “one of the county’s best sprinters.” He also said that the family has been “very good” to the South track and field team, noting that the girls’ older brother, Eddison graduated from South last year and is now running Division I track at St. Joseph’s University.
The Gulamas were not the only members of their team to do well at sectionals. Casey, their relay teammate, came in second in the 800 meter run and fourth in the 1600 meter run. Rancan was third in the 1600 meter run and fifth in the 3200 meter run. Additionally, sophomore Kathryn Schoenauer came in second in the long jump, fourth in the 100 meter hurdles, and fifth in the 100 meter dash.
Though her team placed seventh overall, North’s Patrycja Dziekonska had the best individual results of any WW-P runner at the meet. Dziekonska won the 100 meter hurdles and the long jump and came in second in the 100 meter dash. Teammate Simone Counts placed second in the 1600 meter run and sixth in the 800 meter run.
The boys’ teams did not do as well as their counterparts with South coming in 11th and North coming in 14th. However, in the 3200 meter run, South’s Nikhil Pulimood, Tim Bason, and Karn Setya came in first, second, and fifth respectively. South’s Thomas Vinci also placed, coming in fifth in the 1600 meter run. North’s Jamel Johnson came in second in the 400 meter hurdles and Aathreya Thuppul placed sixth in long jump.
All athletes who placed in the top six in their events advance to the Group 4 championship, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 30 and 31, in Egg Harbor.
Girls’ Track & Field
South. Central Jersey Group IV Sectionals. 100 meters: 5. Kathryn Schoenauer, 12.63. 800 meters: 2. Deirdre Casey, 2:15.57 5. Edlyn Gulama, 2:17.85. 1600 meters: 3. Christina Rancan, 5:03.85; 4. Casey, 5:04.58. 3200 meters: 5. Rancan, 11:07.31. 100 meter hurdles: 4. Schoenauer, 14.87. 4×100 relay: 4. South (Cao Hao-mi, Edlyn Gulama, Edwina Gulama, Schoenauer), 50.21. 4×400 relay: 3. South (Casey, Rancan, Edwina Gulama, Edlyn Gulama), 4:00.06. 4×800 relay: 2. South (Casey, Edlyn Gulama, Alexandra Hesterberg, Katie Kullmann), 9:28.75. Long jump: 2. Schoenauer, 17-03.75.
North. Central Jersey Group IV Sectionals. 100 meters: 2. Patrycja Dziekonska, 12.42. 800 meters: 6. Simone Counts, 2:18.61. 1600 meters: 2. Counts, 5:03.5. 100 meter hurdles: 1. Dziekonska, 14.15. Long jump: 1. Dziekonska, 17-08.
Boys’ Track & Field
South. Central Jersey Group IV Sectionals. 1600 meters: 5. Thomas Vinci, 4:20.93. 3200 meters: 1. Nikhil Pulimood, 9:28.64; 2. Tim Bason, 9:29.17; 5. Karn Setya, 9:39.99. Long jump: 6. Aathreya Thuppul, 20-00.
North. Central Jersey Group IV Sectionals. 400 meter hurdles: 2. Jamel Johnson, 55.79.
