Freshman Maya Halprin-Adams toed the starting line at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field for the 400-meter hurdles with temperatures nearing 40 degrees, along with gusty wind and precipitation.
In the first outdoor track & field meet of her college career on Saturday at the Philadelphia College Classic, the elements presented a problem for Halprin-Adams in an unfamiliar event.
“It was cold and windy, so jumping over hurdles in the wind is terrifying,” Halprin-Adams said. “And on top of that, it was only my fifth time running 400 hurdles, and now it’s like I’m not in high school anymore, so it’s not like we are all so close.