Track & Field | November 07, 2022
As one of the top sprinters in the country, Christine Mallard has earned awards at the AAU Junior Olympics, Brooks PR Invitational and the 2022 New Balance Nationals. Here’s a peek into Mallard’s goals, outside interests, and how she became a part of the Trojan Family.
Q: What do you like to do on campus, outside when you’re not practicing?
C.M: I just go out and explore. I went to two museums in a row and also went to the science museum there. I also went to the Rose Garden last week and then I finally went to my first Lululemon. The workers were so nice. Outside of that I still like to look at different topics like psychology and things of that nature; animation, media film. I look at all of that in terms of just walking around campus. I just explore different places and find new things that would appeal to me. I used to read a lot so I’m trying to get back into that.
Q: When you are practicing and in season, what’s your favorite event?
C.M.: Surprisingly, the 400m. So junior year my coaches didn’t allow me to run it; they allowed me to run it one time. But that summer my coach was like “Ok you ran a 55.50 your first time which a lot of people would consider good”. So the next time I did it with AAU junior Olympics I ran a 54.04 then at regionals I ran a 54 and then I got to the Junior Olympics and broke the national record with a 52.66. So that was my junior year of high school. And that’s when USC contacted me after my fifth time running it. And then at Brooks PR during my senior year and I broke the meet record there and I got a 52.12. And that was my second year running the 400m.”
Q: Do you do the 4x400m relay?
C.M.: I actually haven’t in a long time. We’re in an environment where everyone runs similar times. For the relay, the first leg has the best start, the second leg is someone who can really come out aggressive, the third leg is to maintain the speed, and the fourth leg usually extends the lead or just gains more ground. I don’t know which leg I would be on in terms of that, but I’m excited and we’ll see where I fit in the 4x400m.
Q: What’s the difference in training for 400m?
C.M.: I do a lot more endurance work. I was working with a private trainer at that time because in high school track you don’t get to where…
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