Girls athlete of the week

The Post-Gazette’s top female performer for the past seven days

Last week: Tomczyk pulled off a double victory at the South Hills Classic track meet on Saturday when she won both the 100- and 200-meter sprints. She finished the 100 in 12.68 seconds and the 200 in 26.12.

Check this out: Upper St. Clair had a star sprinter the past three years in Dani Prunzik, who won three consecutive WPIAL Class 3A titles in the 100. Prunzik graduated, and Tomczyk is now the Upper St. Clair sprinter to watch in the WPIAL. A sophomore, Tomczyk was one of only two freshmen to compete in the WPIAL Class 3A final heat last year in both the 100 and 200. She finished seventh in both events and qualified for the state meet in the 200. How was it to establish yourself by winning those two events last weekend? Well, I wanted to come out with a good start to the season because I think I ended last season pretty well for a freshman. I just wanted to go out with a good start. What kind of training did you do to improve in the oseason? I did a lot of weight training and worked a lot with technique. That was the one thing that I struggled with last year. Your 200 time at South Hills was just o your state time in the event (26.09). How do you get tapered and prepared for the big meets now?

Getting ready for WPIALs and states this year, I think I definitely need to work on my starts because I feel like that’s where I struggle the most. Also getting more reps and running a lot more. How did you get into track?

I did a lot of sports when I was growing up. I was a competitive cheerleader for a few years, and I also dove at Pitt on the youth team for a while. I started out with cross country in middle school in fifth and sixth grade, and I ran a lot of distance, the 800, 1,500 and cross country. I didn’t start sprinting until seventh grade when I tried the 100. What do you like better, sprinting or running distance?

Definitely sprinting. I do not want to do distance. What goes through your

mind before a race? I just focus on my form and technique. When I’m at the start, I’ll just put my arms back and forth to practice having my arms going the right way because that’s something my coaches are always on me about. I also just try to stay focused on myself and what’s going on around me. What kind of goals did you set for yourself coming into

the year? I definitely want to place well at WPIALs and do better at states. I also just missed going to states in the 100 last year and I want to go this year. I also want to break 60 seconds in the 400.

What do you do for fun? I hang out with my friends a lot. I go to a lot of concerts with my friends, babysit a lot and help out. What was your favorite

concert? I just recently went to Zach Bryan, and that was really fun.