6 Thursday, April 14, 2022brooklintowncrier.com It was at a York University summer camp ten years ago that Reyne Rodrigues was first exposed to hurdling. At age eight, she declared that becoming a hurdler was what she wanted to do. She's since achieved that objective in spades. "A little unusual for an eight year old, sure," she says upon reflecting on her childhood goal. "But I did play all kinds of sports as a kid and through highschool. Basketball, volleyball, even frisbee. I just love sports. But I fell in love with hurdles." She's currently the number 1 ranked 400 m hurdler in Canada and is ranked 3rd in the 400 m sprint event. Between her track successes and her academic prowess, maintaining a 4.0 GPA, Reyne is on her way to Cornell University in the fall to study ecology and eventually obtain a master's in dietetics. To give a sense of her commitment and drive, her recent 400 m hurdle time of 1:01:59 that gave her the number one national ranking came after having done the event just three times before. Covid, of course, had gotten in the way of just about everything on the planet, including her opportunity to compete. In her words, she's "super motivated" in athletics and academics. She'd been approached by over a dozen universities. "Obviously my grades played a big role," she says. "But going to an Ivy League school is special. You're allowed three visits to a school and Cornell just sort of felt like home. There was a sense of community as soon as I got on the campus." Her challenges there to reach the ultimate objective of being a national team athlete and eventually the Olympics are within reach. "Track is a very independent sport. You need consistency in practice. Here, I've been training three or four times per week. At Cornell it will be five or six. It will also expose me to more great athletes and of course some lifestyle changes. But I'm really excited to experience it all." While her love is hurdles, shorter events like 100 or 200 m sprints are not on her radar. "I'm not an explosive runner. I'm able to get to top speed and hold it for longer which is why the 400 is more for me." Reyne's website is www.reynerodrigues.com which is where one can find all her event stats. Reyne Rodrigues: Top Canadian Hurdler Call or Text: 905.706.3131 office@tanyatierneyteam.com 49 Baldwin St. Brooklin Not intended to solicit those under contract. Brooklin is Tanya Tierney Country! 59 Shenandoah Dr, Whitby 67 Hopkinson Cres, Ajax 1761 Esterbrook Dr, Oshawa 810 Olivia St, Pickering 7 Knox Cres, Brooklin 53 Ault Cres, Brooklin #1 Realtor in All of Durham Region!* *Based on RE Stats Inc. Data for Toronto MLS Volume Sold Jan to Dec 2021*