Gulama siblings each qualify for Group IV 800-meters
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Edlyn Gulama wasn’t thrilled when the West Windsor-Plainsboro South girls track and field team decided to put her in the 800 meters, an event that her brother Eddison had been running for the Pirates boys team for years.
”I thought that they were putting me in the same events so I could be a little him,” Edlyn said. “I wasn’t excited about us running all the same events because expectations are high.”
Expectations are only increasing. The Gulamas are the only brother-sister combination from the Packet-area that have each qualified for the Group IV state meet that will be held today and Saturday at Old Bridge. Edlyn, a freshman, was the first to qualify when she surprised even herself with a sixth-place finish in a personal-record 2:20.74 in the Central Jersey Group IV girls 800 meters last Saturday.
”My time before that was a 2:23,” Edlyn said. “With the PR, I was happy about the time even if I wouldn’t have placed.”
Edlyn edged past a Christina LiPuma of West Windsor-Plainsboro North for the final qualifying spot by seven-hundredths of a second.
”We’ve had other freshman run 2:20,” said WW-P South head coach Todd Smith. “Lisa Miller was a 2:20 girl. Allison Warner was a 2:20 girl. She has a tremendous upside. She’s tiny. She’s short too. She passed LiPuma to get sixth place, and I don’t even think LiPuma saw her.”
Said Edlyn: “I kind of feel intimidated. Everyone else is taller and looks stronger than me. I feel like a midget next to them. Being smaller helps me a little bit.”
Edlyn is 5-foot-2, and her doctor has told her that she’s done growing, but the sectional finish was an exciting indication of big things to come in her future.
”I was really happy for her,” Eddison said. “When I saw her coming with 200 left, I thought she was done. She managed to pull out of it and make it out by .0-something. She did great.”
Eddison, a junior, didn’t break his personal-record set two weeks earlier at the Mercer County Championships, but he did finish second at the CJ IV meet behind senior teammate AJ Chavez. Eddison ran 1:57.05 to qualify for the Group IV meet that he also reached in the indoor season.
”It was really important,” Eddison said. “We were trying to see how far we could go. I did it indoors and I wanted to do it again.”
Added Edlyn: “We just want each other to do as best we can.”
Eddison and Edlyn are the middle two of four siblings — their oldest sister Edith did not run and Edwina is a seventh grader on the track team at Grover Middle School — born to parents who both ran in high school in Sierra Leone, where they lived until Eddison was 11. Eddison was using track for soccer conditioning when it became his main sport, and not before some teeth-pulling from Pirates distance coach Kurt Wayton.
”I was actually not planning on doing track in high school,” Eddison said. “I ended up getting recruited by Wayton. I’m happy how I’ve done. I’ve gone from 2:30 to 1:56.”
Eddison debuted in just 2:30 as a freshman, a time that his sister equaled in her first race this year. He has progressed steadily from that start.
”I was pretty bad,” Eddison said. “It’s been pretty steady. I haven’t been improving by a lot. I drop at least five seconds each season. The most improvement was freshman year. I went from the 2:30 to 2:12 to the end of winter, and 2:04 by the end of spring.”
Edlyn ran cross country in sixth grade, but was a cut from the middle school track team in seventh grade.
”I wasn’t in good shape for tryouts,” she explained. She is now, and she’s embracing the same events that Eddison runs.
”I only started running the 800 the beginning of this spring season,” Edlyn said. “Even then, I wasn’t really happy about it. Wayton just threw me in it. The first 800 I ran, I was pretty nervous. Now I’m still nervous, but now not as much as when I first started.”
Her sectional race was a big step for her. It was a surprise that sets up a future of high expectations.
”She’s definitely got the speed,” Smith said. “In the winter, she was primarily a 400 runner. With a lot of the kids, it’s convincing them they’ll have the ability to bump up. She has great natural aerobic endurance. I don’t think she knows how much she has.
”In the last couple weeks, she’s been able to push through some walls. That’s exciting. She’s twice as small as (800 school record holder) Emily Mauro. Emily would gobble up the track. Edlyn probably takes three steps for every one of Emily’s. She’s so little, but she’s a warrior. She fights it.”
Eddison is stuck in the shadow of Chavez, a state favorite in the half-mile, at least for this year. But he’s also used Chavez to help head toward his potential.
”AJ likes to take it out,” Eddison said. “All I have to do is just follow him. I always keep a couple meters back.”
That’s not always been enough. Something has clicked with Eddison this year and he’s able to hold on longer in races. He’s been second to Chavez in both the county and sectional races.
”I’m more relieved that he’s running this well,” Smith said. “It was never the training aspect. He always put in the time, always put in the work. It was a matter of doing it in the races. He’s confident now. Him and AJ work well together. It’s a really good pair. He’s put himself in position to be a knockout runner next year as well.
”His freshman and sophomore year, there was no question the talent was there. We’re happy to see the actual times are coming on. He’s made a huge jump this year. I really think that’s helped his confidence.”
Edlyn is more confident in Eddison’s chances to compete at the MOC next Thursday back at Old Bridge. The top six finishers from each event plus wild card qualifiers from all groups will advance to the MOC.
”I’m pretty happy with my progress, but I’m pretty sure I can do better,” said Eddison, who ran a PR of 1:56.66 at counties. “The weekend is important for me. I want to get under 1:55 and get closer to 1:52.
”That’s been a goal since I started track,” he added. “My coach and I set it. That’s where AJ and I should end up. AJ got there, so it’s up to me to get there.”
Eddison will double up his chance as part of the Pirates’ 4×400 relay with Tunde Pade, Donyell Reid and Chavez that finished second in the sectional in 3:21.05.
”The 400, the relay makes it feel so much easier,” Gulama said. “Once you have guys in front of you that you have to catch, it makes it easier. We’re kind of mad. We missed our school record by less than a second. We’re going to go for it again.”
Edlyn’s 4×400 relay missed by one spot the chance to advance, but she will have plenty to worry about after earning her first trip to the group meet.
”I’m pretty excited,” Edlyn said. “I didn’t think I could actually make it that far. My coach just told me to run as hard as I can and try the best I can. I didn’t think I could actually place. In my heat, I was placed 10th at the start. At the start of the race, I wasn’t doing that well.
”I was at the back in the start. The last 300, Smitty was yelling at me that I have to start kicking. I started and in the last 200, I put my all in it and I was able to pass people.”
Qualifying for the Group IV state meet could be a turning point for Edlyn.
”I think it’s a huge confidence booster,” Smith said. “It’s something she can look back on. Everything from here is gravy. She’s gaining experience in big meets for later in her career. If she’s not nervous, there’s something wrong with her. It’s the experience that’ll be more worthwhile than the time that comes off the track.”
Said Eddison: “She had potential coming into high school. She has to find it in herself. It’s always been there.”
As for Eddison, the Pirates are hoping he can work with Chavez to advance again. He’s been to the indoor MOC, and he’d like to reach the pinnacle of the state’s outdoor season as well.
”We set the goal for Eddison to make the Meet of Champions,” Smith said. “It’s a tough group. He’ll be in the seeded section so he’ll have to let it rip.
”If Eddison stays within himself and doesn’t get caught up, everyone will be excited to go out. If Eddison runs the race he can run, I think that is a 1:55, 1:54.”
If Eddison Gulama can advance to the Meet of Champions, it will set up higher expectations for his final year, which in turn means higher hopes for Edlyn Gulama.
”I love it now,” she said. “I got to love it now more than in the beginning. I’m not still worried about it.”