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Track: Hellman eyes the next hurdle
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FarkRAPID CITY — Shannon Hellman hates to lose. Fortunately for her, she hasn’t experienced much of it during her career.
Hellman is coming off a tremendous Dakota Athletic Conference Meet this past weekend where she scored wins in the 100-meter hurdles and the long jump and placed second in the 100- and 200-meter runs. Her time in the 100 of 12.13 set a school record and when added to her victory in the heptathlon a few weeks ago, Hellman helped the Black Hills State University women’s team take the top spot in the conference for the third straight year.
“I love being around athletes that hate to lose more than they love to win,” BHSU head coach Scott Walkinshaw said. “Shannon is so competitive that she wants to win at every thing she does. At the Multi-event she just didn’t want to win it, she wanted to win every event.”
In all, Hellman took part in six events at the conference meet with a couple of those running prelims meaning more wear on her legs, but it did little to slow her down. This came after a dominating showing during the indoor season when she won the 55 and 200 dashes as well as the 55-meter hurdles and long jump.
Hellman has proven her versatility between the running and field events, but her specialty remains the 100 hurdles. The Douglass High School graduate was a four-time state champion and she certainly hasn’t slowed down in college.
With the team championship in the bag, Hellman is now focusing on nationals in St. Louis May 22-24 and defending her NAIA title she won in the hurdles. She currently has the best time in the NAIA at 13.81 and is also ranked nationally.
“I really want to defend my title in the hurdles,” Hellman said which might keep her from competing in the heptathlon which she also qualified in for nationals.
Hellman said her ability to compete in so many events at a meet boils down to something as simple as keeping herself warm and focusing on one event at a time. As far as her success in the hurdles, Hellman has no secrets.
“I started running hurdles in the seventh grade and I just put a lot of time into hurdling and a lot of technique,” she said.
Hellman began her college career at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology where she won her national title in the hurdles, but transferred to BHSU for this season.
“It was a decision I had to make for my major,” the physical education major said. “It was something I always knew I would have to do.”
Running so close to home brought with it some added pressure, but it also had its benefits according to Hellman.
“It is a lot of pressure, and sometimes I let it get to me, but I also get a lot more individual attention here that I would not get at a bigger school,” she said.
Hellman may have switched schools, but she brought the fire to compete with her.
“I don’t mind losing to a teammate but I hate losing to another team,” she said. “I think all it takes is one person to really, truly love something to make others do it.”
Hellman was right where she wanted to be on Sunday as the Yellow Jackets battled Dickinson State for the conference crown. Her victory in the long jump came on her fifth attempt and gave BHSU valuable points against Dickinson which had several strong jumpers.
Hellman did all of this while not being at 100 percent as she battles a shin problem.
“She came up to me during the meet and told me she wanted to run the 4-by-400 relay because she wanted to help the team,” Walkinshaw said. “Shannon is all about the team and as a coach that is invaluable and carries over to the rest of the team.”
Hellman’s main competition at nationals will come from Zora Golcevska, of Azusa Pacific, who is still more than two-tenths of a second off of her time.
Hellman will look to repeat by doing what she seemingly always does — put her head down and fly over the hurdles.
Shannon Hellman jumps a hurdle during the women's 100 meter hurdles on April 4 at the Frostbite Invitational at Lyle Hare Stadium in Spearfish. (Kristina Barker/Journal staff)
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