The Wesleyan Argus | Play (he) of the week: Ethan Singleton '28 Talks that the 25-year-old record, faith and team camaraderia break

Ethan Singleton '28 is a potential minor and the government of human rights from the Carrollton, Texas, in the athletics team of men. In his first year at Wes, he and his colleagues broke several records. Singleton broke the 400 -m fittings board at the university on Sunday, December 8, 2024, at the University of Massachusetts (Umass) Boston Beacon Beacon's season in 49.96 seconds. It ran in 49.96 seconds and broke a record that has stood since 2000. He has stood the record since 2000. Saturday, March 1, when he ran a 48.83 at the New England Division III Indoor Championships. While these numbers are impressive, singletons show goals that this is only the beginning of his light Wesleyan career. The Argus sat down with a singleton to discuss the camaraderie, his faith and its record -breaking performance.

The Argus: When did you start running track?

Ethan Singleton: In the spring season I started to lead my junior year of high school after cutting out of the tennis team because a few newcomers were insanely elite. So I started making track and I fell in love with her.

A: Do you have athletes to see, be it on the track or in another sport?

IT: As for the track, I like Sydney McLaughlin[-Levrone] Much because she is a Christian and she promotes Jesus with her running, which I really appreciate. Obviously Noah Lyles because he is very fast and [Enoch Ellis]; He is a junior on. I never walked with him just because he was a senior when I was in the second year [in high school] And as I said, I only started in my junior year. But he has always been a great role model in my life. He is that [student body] President of the MIT as a junior. He is also a national champion in the 110[m] Lords, so he is someone to whom I look up a lot, just a leader in the classroom and on the track. I try to embody this a lot with my own track career, just to make sure that I am doing well at school and cuts it off well [in] Out of school and good in my sport.

A: What is the biggest difference between the lane on the high school level and the college level?

IT: Obviously the competition. Sometimes it is much better at College level. On [New England Division III Indoor Championships] At BU they were some of the fastest people in the country. People came from all over the world, and all in my heat, for example, ran a 47 seconds [race]. Before that, I only had once again that I ever joined someone who ran a 400 m fittings board, which was a national meeting in Texas. That was a big shock for me. It was a very humiliating experience. In addition, people take it seriously because it is a great commitment. You have to be in love with sport to work super hard every day and feel like garbage every day in practice [but still] Really enjoy it.

With the high school, however, there is less focus on the social aspects. The team is much closer to college and some of the trackmen are my best friends here at Wes, which was not in the high school. Compete together [and] To be here in college all the time has done a lot closer to us as friends.

A: How was it that far to manage time as a student athlete?

IT: I can't really say, because I took part in competition sports all my life, so it was always school and sport. I never really had a different experience. But I like to have some time to not only concentrate on my school work, [but also] Reset and use energy. It also helps me to balance and manage my time well because I know that I have to do my work before training. Otherwise I will be exhausted after my training and I would not have the mental ability to do my homework or to study effectively.

A: The track is usually seen as an individual sport when you consider that they usually run alone there, unless it is a season. How does your team make it a team sport?

IT: Some of my best friends here are in the track team, so we always support each other. I remember immediately after I finished running [at the UMass Boston Beacon Season Opener]I checked our group chat. They sent me text messages and [they were] Like: “Oh my god, I'm so proud of you.” And it's just very cute, as you definitely know that you have this community of people who are for you and you deal for you.

Even if you are not there with you at the Meet, watch on a live stream and keep pace with you. We also cheer each other during training, so they are encouraged all the time. Everyone knows that we take 110% effort and that it is emotionally and physically very exhausting. So everyone was there, everyone experiences it and we only cheer ourselves up what is a great team dynamics.

A: You will receive our player of the week for your performance throughout the winter season in the 400 M fittings board, which you have now broken for three different times, last weekend. Were you aware of the recording before you broke it for the first time, and how the first time you heard that you would be in the WES record books?

IT: I knew what the recording had been visiting since my last spring, and I somehow had an eye on it, but I didn't care to be honest. It is not like a big deal for me to break it, but more to break my personal goals that I have not yet done. But at the same time it is nice to break the record.

A: What is your personal goal?

IT: [My] PThe appointment is to get sub-47 [seconds].

A: In the last two races they broke the 400 m record. How was your attitude to go to the race and how did it feel that you now surpass your plate twice?

IT: I am definitely grateful. All the support I got is really nice. Only people I don't know about saying: “Oh my god, congratulations” or just friends of mine [saying]”I'm so proud of you, congratulations”, which is definitely cute and nice. My parents come from Dallas and wear shirt “Ethan Singleton: 400m plate holder”[s]Which is really cute. So it is really cool, this overwhelming support of people and it's just really cool how nice people are.

A: Do you now shoot the 400 -M record after the Outdoor season arrived?

IT: Yes, I'm sure I'll get it. But definitely, as I said, only got the sub-47 [seconds is] More than all records in my head.

A: As the first year, they still fought out at collegiate level. How did you help your captains and the high school students in the team to get used to running in college?

IT: I can especially imagine a captain – her name is Fiona [Carroll ’25]. It makes pole vault. She is really cute. And if I have a really hard week for some reason, I just put on everything and do a whole session with her, and sometimes she does the same with me. And you know that it is not easy to practice every day when you personally go through a difficult time. So if she is only there to listen to support me, it means a lot. Not just a captain who says: “Oh, you are here because you have to compete and you have to be physically better. That means a lot to me that I am supported in this way.

The same applies to the trainers. I remember that I once had a hellish week. It was terrible. Just a lot of friend drama, all of the stuff. And I call [Head Coach of Cross Country Leo Mayo]And it's really late at night and I really cry to him for 30 minutes when I tell him how terrible my week was. So it's just nice to have the captains and the high school students, and the trainers also take care of us not only as a athlete, but also as humans. This is really valuable for me.

A: You mentioned how important it is for you to be a Christian. How do you hug this through your sport?

IT: It helps a lot because it relieves so much pressure. Because I always get really nervous before I run because there is this fear of “What if I fall out?” Or “what if I don't get time I want?” Or “what if it is much worse than I want?” All that stuff. I have to pray constantly and I want: “Hey, I trust that you have prepared me” and just pray that my nerves would disappear.

It is also very nice. I used to hear music before I warmed up, but not now, and now I only pray in my head when I warm up, and that keeps me in peace, and it helps me to concentrate on the tasks that I have at hand. It helps me to tell me: “In the end, it's not that deep.”

Ultimately, I can run God and worship God by doing my best and trusting that he will help me with any time I get what my goals are. And then it only helps me to concentrate on my identity, which is not in my performance or not wins all the time, which it was definitely. But now it is, no, my identity is just a child of God, and that's something I can do because he blessed me with the talents to run. And I can be modest and cheer on my teammates. And I can also get the congratulations that I get and I am not boastful and proud of it. I can concentrate my eyes on praying God and simply doing my best.

A: What are your individual goals and what are the team's goals?

IT: I really want to win nationals individually and I would like to get sub-47 [seconds] desperate. It was my first time [competing] Interiors, so I expect the interiors to be significantly worse than outdoors. So I have very high goals for the outdoor season. Team goals, I think we are trying to break them [distance medley relay school] record. We have to do that. We definitely work to break the 4 × 100 record. That is a must. First I hit that we are breaking this record. I don't know how we will do in the NescAC ranking as a whole. But I expect everyone to be healthier because everyone was injured, apparently in this inside season. Hopefully we are all in good condition, especially after the break.

A: What should people be excited about for WES Athletics this coming season?

IT: We really have, very great athletes, both in the men's and in the women's team. Steve [Paul ’28]He just got a huge PR – a big one, oh my god – on Saturday. So everyone is in a really good shape, and I assume that it should transfer to the exterior season and I expect that all times will get better, and everyone's jump will get better. So I only see really big things. So many plates are not only broken by me, but also by other people like Steve. And I see really great things for the seasons. I see great things for people individually and I am very much looking forward to the achievements of everyone. It will be the best period outdoors that Wes Track has ever had.

This article was processed for length and clarity.

Max Forstein can be reached mforstein@wesleyan.edu.