BROC MARTIN-EUFAULA
You might call this a make up year for Eufaula sophomore Broc Martin. Last year while the track season was underway, Broc was ranked second in the state in the 100-meter sprint but then came a health setback.
“Two or three meets into the season, Broc got sick at the Hilldale meet after running the 100 and never felt well after that and ended up in the hospital for a week with what turned out to be a problem with his liver,” said track coach Larry Newton Jr. “He did come back and ran for us at state on our relay team, but I think he would have had a great year if he had been healthy. So far this year he’s looked really good and won the 100 sprint in our first meet.”
Martin and the rest of the track team practice under less-than-ideal conditions at Eufaula with their main practice area, the football field, undergoing renovations.
“It’s really tough to practice with really no where to run. We do baton handoffs in the parking lot where there’s not a lot of room and have to set the starting blocks on the concrete to practice block starts,” said Martin.
Martin runs the 100- and 200-meter sprints and is on the 4X100 and 4X200 relay teams for the Ironheads.
“I’ve always been pretty fast so when they held track signup in middle school I joined and just enjoy running. I like the 100 sprint the best because I just have to rely on run straight with no curves or handoffs,” said Broc who is also in student council.
Broc says he likes to watch videos of Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles who he considers a role model.
“He’s just the best there is as far I’m considered and he explains things so well on his videos.”
Broc works with a personal trainer weekly, and feels that’s really helped him with his block starts, speed and endurance as he goes into this year’s track season.
Broc Martin is hoping to make up for last year’s lost season with a goal of running 10.5 seconds in the 100 and 21.6 seconds in the 200 and qualifying for state in both events as well as the two relays.
