Swarthmore Track and Field continued their successful season last weekend at the Widener Invite. At the meet, Lauren Holt ’21 stood out amongst the Garnet athletes. She ran the 400-meter dash in 56.82 seconds, which is now the ninth-best time across all of NCAA Division III. Holt was also part of the school record-setting 4×400 meter relay, along with Kayla Camacho ’19, Mirayda Martinez ’20, and Sydney Covitz ’20. The relay is also currently ranked tenth in the country. The Garnet return to action today and Friday as they compete in the world-famous Penn Relays at the University of Pennsylvania.
Jack Corkery: What is your major and what led you choose this field of study?
Lauren Holt: I’m majoring in Biology and minoring in Spanish. I’m pre-med and I really enjoy taking science classes and labs, but I love languages and reading too.
JC: Why did you choose Swarthmore?
LH: I actually hated my first tour at Swat but ended up coming back a year later and really loving it. I felt very aligned with the academic and moral principles of students on campus. Swat is very close to but also very different from where I grew up so I enjoy the security of being near home without feeling like I never left.
JC: Why did you first start running track?
LH: I started running track in middle school because I was super lanky and uncoordinated and just bad at other sports.
JC: What is your favorite Sharples bar?
LH: Caribbean bar or mac and cheese bar!
JC: What is your favorite spot on campus?
LH: I love being outside especially now in the spring, but I’m also really lazy so probably my own bed.
JC: What was it like to win Centennial Conference Track Athlete of the Week?
LH: It’s exciting because a lot of other talented Swat athletes that I’m friends with have won and also it’s just cool because it’s not something I expected.
JC: What is one thing you would change about Swarthmore?
LH: My shins and I would love a new indoor track.
JC: You’re currently ninth in the country in the 400m and on the tenth-ranked 4x400m. What does it feel like to be amongst the best in the country?
LH: It feels very ephemeral because the rankings change so much every week after each meet, so I am constantly checking the list to see if my name is still there. But it’s also incredible to be a part of such talented relays and such a dedicated team and finally seeing the results of that hard work.
JC: Do you have any personal or team goals for the remainder of the season?
LH: Everyone works so hard for basically the entire school year and I really want to see that pay off in the next few weeks. It’s amazing to watch your teammates run, throw, and jump well and break their own records and win events so I’m really just looking forward to that at conferences. I also want to see our relay go far and to keep the season going past next weekend because we have such good momentum and it’s just fun to run well with your friends.
