It was a year ago February that LaSonja Collins had the most frustrating and disappointing track meet an athlete could have.
She competed in two individual events and a relay at the state indoor track and field championships . . . and was disqualified in every one.
In the 55 meters, she was disqualified after false starting. In the 300 meters, she was disqualified because officials said she broke from her lane too early. In the 1,600-meter relay, one of her teammates wore different tights than the rest of the relay, causing a disqualification.
Just one year later at the state indoor championships though, she seemed to do no wrong.
Collins, a junior, won the same three events she had been disqualified in the previous year.
She broke state meet records in the 300 meters (40.19 seconds) and 1,600-meter relay (4 minutes 2.70 seconds) and earned the meet's MVP award. All that after having back spasms the night before the meet.
``She's a very driven young lady,'' said Independence coach Mike Porter. ``She started to come into her own last indoor season. She started to be more focused and driven and she felt like there were so many things she wanted to accomplish. She sees herself as possibly a future Olympian.''
That vision isn't an athlete with her head in the clouds or an excited coach talking. The facts speak for Collins.
Collins' 300-meter state meet record of 40.19, broke the 1-year-old mark set by Fayetteville Sanford's Demetria Washington of 40.44. Washington earned All-American status in the 400 meters outdoors her junior year, and made the U.S. junior national team last year. She now runs for the University of South Carolina.
``I feel like coming back that strong, it really made a statement to me that I'm stronger,'' Collins said. ``Last year I ran in fear, this year I ran with confidence.''
Collins ranked fourth in the state in the 200 meters (24.82) outdoors and seventh in the 100 meters (12.22). She placed third in the 4A state meet in the 200 and fourth in the 100. All this as a sophomore.
``No matter what happens, I just have to look to God and take it as a blessing. I don't know how many people would say that, but to me God is my way and that's how it's going to be. And if I never run again, I'll always have something to look back on. I'm happy and I'm happy with life.''
