Senior Chika Akazi earns track championship titles

Senior Chika Akazi ended her stellar track career at Uniondale High School with a bang, including winning the 100-meter hurdles at the New York State Outdoor Track and Field Championships on June 8. She finished the race with a time of 14.07 seconds.

“It was truly a blessing from God, and I really thank my coaches a lot for helping me persevere,” Akazi, who also competes in indoor track and field, said.

This past indoor season, she won the 55-meter hurdles at the New York State Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 2. Even though she was the last qualifier in the event, Akazi defied the odds and won the finals in 8.21 seconds.

“Chika’s continued success in meets speaks to her incredible determination and work ethic,” Uniondale Superintendent Monique Darrisaw-Akil said in a news release. “She is a remarkable athlete and an excellent student. We wish her nothing but success in all her future competitions.”

In preparing for the outdoor state meet, Akazi said she had to run on grass, because renovations of the Uniondale High track weren’t completed until June 3, just four days before her race. She said she appreciated the support she received from her coach, Leigh Pollet.

“I want to thank him a lot for helping me persevere during the conditions we had to practice in,” Akazi said, “because sometimes it was really tough, and he had to work with them, too.”

After the state championships, nine members of the team headed to Greensboro, North Carolina, on June 14 to compete in the Adidas Outdoor Nationals, where they won the 1,600-meter sprint medley relay. Akazi ran the first 200-meter leg of the race, and her teammates helped bring home the victory.

“To see our whole relay team pour their hearts out on the track to win it almost moved me to tears,” Akazi said.

Akazi also competed in the shuttle hurdle relay, two sprint medley relays and the 800-meter sprint relay.

“Chika is an exemplary student-athlete,” Peter Cardone, Uniondale High’s director of physical education and health, said in the news release. “She sets a goal and works tirelessly to achieve it. I would also like to commend Chika’s coach, Leigh Pollet, for continuing to lead her and the other athletes on our track and field team to success.”

Despite the demands of the sport, Akazi said she finds ways to avoid feeling burned out, including taking time to rest, doing activities other than track to get her mind off competition, and talking to her coach.

“Although he always pushes us to give our very best,” she said of Pollet, “he’s really understanding.”

Akazi was inspired by the running regimen her older sister, Chinyere, had during the coronavirus pandemic, and began to take her own journey on the track seriously. She said she finds motivation and inspiration for her continued success through her faith.

“Whenever I think of God, whenever I pray to him, I always have reassurance when I’m running that everything’s going to turn out well and I’m going to do well,” Chika said. “Whether I win or lose, knowing God and serving God is the true gold medal to me.”

Running is a passion for her, and she believes that anyone who is interested in the sport should get out there and give it a shot.

“There’s no hurt in going out there running or doing track, because track is really a sport for everybody,” she said. “You don’t have to be 100 percent in shape, you don’t have to be the best at it, because most of the time you’re running for yourself. There’s really no hurt in giving it a try.”

After graduating from Uniondale High on Saturday, Akazi plans to attend the University of Pennsylvania, where she will run for its track team. She said she was looking forward to attending college and being a part of the team.