WEST OUCHITA'S EMMA BIELKIEWICZ HITS THE TAPE AT WK PALMETTO!
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again! That has been the story this season for West Ouachita sophomore Emma Bielkiewicz, who had four consecutive runner-up finishes heading into Saturday morning's WK Palmetto Classic in Benton.
Bielkiewicz, who was MileSplit LA's Athlete of the Month for September, broke through with her first win of the season by running a time of 20:01.
"It felt really good," Bielkiewicz said about her first win. "Really awesome."
Three of Bielkiewicz's runner-up performances came against St. Frederick's Bradie Eppinette. Bielkiewicz and Eppinette--two of the best sophomores in Louisiana--found themselves-once again-battling it out.
"I just told myself to stay with her and I could probably finish first," Bielkiewicz said. "I just had to motivate myself and have the right mindset."
Bielkiewicz pulled away in the last 800 meters. Eppinette finished ten seconds behind her familiar foe.
"She is a tremendous athlete," West Ouachita Coach Alex Shambro said. "She is talented and athletic, but she also has the mental game. She shows up every day ready to work. It's been paying for her."