NEO Rising Stars of Indoor Track

Photo via Mason Weber

As we get ready to kickoff the 2024 outdoor track season here in Northeast Ohio, there were many breakout performers from NEO during the indoor season. Some of these athletes shared what went into their training, which constituted more than just running. These athletes shared their opinions on the importance of teamwork, trust, mindset, and training. See what these breakout athletes have to say.

Share how you worked to perform so well this indoor season and how you are preparing to carry your indoor season success to the outdoor season.

Taman Chokshi-JR Chardon High School

Taman had much success this indoor season running the 1600m and 3200m. Taman came away with a huge lifetime best in the 1600m at the NEOITC All Star Meet running a 4:22.50 and placing 4th. He also competed in the 3200m run at the D1 OATCCC Indoor State Meet running a 9:22.01 and finishing 10th. “The whole team having the same goal of being the best version of ourselves helped immensely. We had a saying all year long, that was 1% better every single day.” 

Brianna Mclvor-JR Kenston High School

Brianna really relied on her team’s culture as well as trusting her coach to make her the most successful she could be. She made her first appearance at the D1 OATCCC Indoor State Meet and ran an indoor PR of 5:15.05, placing 11th.  “ During workouts I try to stay serious but have fun also because you can’t be great unless you enjoy what you are doing.”

Jay’vier Kerr-SO Cleveland Heights High School

Jay’vier was a huge factor in Cleveland Heights’ team win at the D1 OATCCC indoor state meet. As a sophomore, he placed 3rd in the 400m with a time of 48.29 which also put him at #2 in the country for the class of 2026. “ The times that I have run indoors I want them to drop a lot this outdoor, and the only way for me to do that is to work hard and have a different mindset on the things that happen.”

Share some of the mental and physical obstacles you had to overcome during indoor to get where you are going into the outdoor season.

Hannah Jicha-SO Strongsville High School

Hannah had to adjust to new challenges throughout the indoor season, but it seemed to all work out as she made a name for herself. Setting a PR in the 800m with a time of 2:17.15 when she placed 4th at the NEOITC All Star Meet. Continuing her indoor success, she finished the season with an 11th place finish at the OATCCC Indoor State Meet.  “ I would say some of the challenges I had to overcome this indoor season were getting a new coach, which meant having to adapt to a style of new training, with different workouts and higher mileage.”

Andrew Hearn-SO Fairless High School

Andrew put himself onto the scene as he was just the second youngest to finish in the boys 1600m run at the D2 OATCCC Indoor State Meet where he placed 6th. Andrew worked on his mental and physical shape during the indoor season to get where he is now as he eyes a state berth in May. “The mental obstacle I had was the will to hurt. There are two types of people who race. The ones willing to go through pain to get the success they want or the ones who will simply give up.”

What are a few of the things that you learned during the indoor season that will help you progress through outdoor and into the postseason?

Caleb Hewitt-JR Chardon High School

Caleb burst onto the sprinting scene this indoor season with many big time finishes at the OATCCC Indoor State Meet. He finished 4th in the 60m dash with a blistering 6.91. He also contributed to Chardon’s 3:23.91 3rd place finish in the 4×4 which just missed the state title by six tenths of a second. “Keeping my eyes in my own lane was a key detail I needed to work on cause the moment I felt the person next to me gaining, I started to get long in my strides and that slowed me down a lot.”

Additional athletes to watch

• Mariah Revels-SO Shaker Heights High School

She placed 21st at the OATCCC Indoor State Meet in the 400m dash.

• Alexys Sterling-JR Canton Mckinley High School

She placed 23rd in the 60m and 2nd in long jump at the OATCCC Indoor State Meet.

• Brayden Bryant-FR Austintown Fitch High School

He placed 8th in the 60m dash at the OATCCC Indoor State Meet

The indoor season came to a close just a few weeks ago, as many new names burst onto the scene. As the 2024 outdoor season begins, let’s see who else joins these runners in making a name for themselves in NEO.