While CWU’s track & field team recently entered the midpoint of their outdoor season, senior mid-distance runner Johan Correa has shown that he’s only just scratched the surface of his potential. On Friday, April 5 during the John Knight Twilight meet in Monmouth, Oregon, Correa dominated the competition with a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) provisional qualifying time, two new personal records (PR) and two additions to the CWU all-time top-10. These accomplishments led to his third-career recognition as the track & field athlete of the week.

“I think we take him for granted a little bit, being a national qualifier in cross [country] the expectation was kind of that he would just do it all the time,” head cross country and track & field coach Johnathan Hill said. “But that’s not how sports work, our conference and our division is really competitive. So Johan is proving that he’s backing up his words: he’s going to stay steady, he’s going to stay consistent, and he’s going to work on the process, whether things are going well or not.”

In his first outdoor 800 meter race since the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championships in May of last year, Correa blazed to a NCAA provisional qualifying time and new PR of 1:50.47. “It felt good being able to run that fast when I least expected it,” Correa said. His achievement not only marked the fastest time in the GNAC this season but also positioned Correa at number 10 in Division II this year.

Up against 41 other competitors, Correa’s second PR of the day came from the 1500 meter dash. While he won this race with a staggering time of 3:54.06, he also became the first Wildcat in nine years to secure a spot in the CWU all-time top-10 list for the event. Correa is now ranked at number eight in CWU history and number seven in the GNAC this season.

“Leaving the meet with personal bests in both the 800 and 1500 is a testament to his strength, hard work and competitiveness that he shows day-in and day-out,” Matt Layten, the assistant cross country and track & field coach, said after the meet, according to wildcatsports.com. “He sets a tremendous example for our team and it is awesome to see him ranked among the nation’s best middle distance runners after this weekend.”

Correa stressed the importance of adhering to a comprehensive training regimen to prime his body for such competitions, including warm-up and cool-down drills alongside focused workout sessions. “During my workout is where I practice the things I can do during the race,” Correa said.

However, despite his recent successes Correa acknowledged the hurdles that often come with being an athlete and provided insight into managing these challenges. Whether it’s dealing with injuries, unexpected losses, or performance dips, he explained that the key to perseverance lies in keeping a “Positive attitude and [trusting] the process while keeping the end goal in mind,” Correa said.

Hill echoed this sentiment saying that Correa keeps the track & field program motivated and moving in the right direction through his optimistic mindset as well as his willingness to do whatever he can for the benefit of the team.

“The number one thing that he does as a leader is he is willing to put his individual goals secondary to the team goals,” Hill said. “Johan was named our indoor track & field MVP as he was our high point scorer at the conference championship … to him winning as a team and being a good leader is just as important as him winning an individual title. That was demonstrated by him tripling at the conference championship, and probably hurting his chances individually of making the national meet because he made that team decision to try and score as many points as he could. I call that heroism.”

As Correa continues to make waves on the track, he expressed that his focus remains on not only achieving personal milestones such as making it to the national meet, but also on guiding his team towards collective success and becoming GNAC champions. 

Last week, the team clinched victories in both the men’s and women’s meets at the Whitworth Twilight meet, followed by another triumph at the Lewis and Clark competition in Portland, Oregon. Additionally, Correa’s athlete of the week award marked the team’s fifth category win, including throws, jumps, sprints, hurdles and multi-events.

With the halfway mark of the season now behind them, the team stands poised to harness their momentum and strive for a successful conclusion, fueled by Correa’s leadership and determination.

CWU track & field will compete next on Saturday, April 20 during the CWU Wildcat Invitational hosted at the university’s Recreation Sports Complex in Ellensburg, Washington.