Bloomfield College's number one female runner Petra Semelova completed her first cross-country season as an NCAA athlete on Saturday. Semelova's successful season included two race victories and a second place finish during her last race of the regular season.
What made Semelova's standout performances particularly thrilling for her is that they occurred during a season that she almost missed to return to her country, the Czech Republic.
Semelova had been planning to leave the U.S. after earning her Associate's Degree from Union County College. Then Semelova broke the school's record in the 1500m and won silver medals in the 10k and 5k at the 2013 NJCAA Div. III Spring Track National Championship. Such success on the track led her to consider staying to earn her Bachelor's Degree and continue running in college. All she would need was a significantly-sized scholarship, which her former UCC coaches told her a couple of New Jersey colleges wanted to grant her.
By the time July came around, however, Petra had not been awarded any such scholarship. Before she booked a plane ticket out of the U.S., however, Semelova learned of an academic scholarship being offered by Bloomfield College. The money they gave her was evidently enough to keep her here to complete a season that Semelova described as so much fun.
Upon reflecting on her favorite moments of racing this fall, Semelova said she is most proud of the second place finish, which occurred at the 15th Annual St. Joseph's College Invitational in Kings Park, NY. That race was held at Sunken Meadow Park, which includes the infamous Cardiac Hill.
What made Semelova's standout performances particularly thrilling for her is that they occurred during a season that she almost missed to return to her country, the Czech Republic.
Semelova had been planning to leave the U.S. after earning her Associate's Degree from Union County College. Then Semelova broke the school's record in the 1500m and won silver medals in the 10k and 5k at the 2013 NJCAA Div. III Spring Track National Championship. Such success on the track led her to consider staying to earn her Bachelor's Degree and continue running in college. All she would need was a significantly-sized scholarship, which her former UCC coaches told her a couple of New Jersey colleges wanted to grant her.
By the time July came around, however, Petra had not been awarded any such scholarship. Before she booked a plane ticket out of the U.S., however, Semelova learned of an academic scholarship being offered by Bloomfield College. The money they gave her was evidently enough to keep her here to complete a season that Semelova described as so much fun.
Upon reflecting on her favorite moments of racing this fall, Semelova said she is most proud of the second place finish, which occurred at the 15th Annual St. Joseph's College Invitational in Kings Park, NY. That race was held at Sunken Meadow Park, which includes the infamous Cardiac Hill.
"You had to get out fast, if you didn't want to get squished," Semelova explained. "I was in front with three other girls, then one girl stayed behind and the first girl went faster. I just kept trying to work. There were two hills. One was really steep but short, and the other one, called Cardiac Hill, was steep and long."
Finishing with a time of 20:34:48, Semelova left Kings Park with a giant 2nd place trophy. (See picture above.) An added bonus for her was that her team also took 2nd in the meet of 29 teams and 230 women runners.
Another highlight of Semelova's season was her victory at the NJIT Classic Collegiate Cross Country Invitational, where she ran 19:27 - her PR on a 5k cross-country course. Again, her team's success made Semelova's win even sweeter. Bloomfield College took the top four places as well as seventh place, making them the clear victors of the meet.
The only part of cross country this year that Semelova found disappointing was how she raced during the championship part of her season,which included the NCAA Div. II East Regional Cross Country Championships. A sudden hip adductor injury, unfortunately, slowed Semelova down.
But the upbeat distance runner says she is glad to have given those final races a try.
"It definitely was a good experience, so if I get there next year, I’ll know what to do," she said.
Another athletic feat Semelova accomplished this fall was finishing fifth in her age group in the IRONMAN 70.3 in Princeton, NJ.
Czech out Semelova on the indoor track this winter as she speeds past you.
Finishing with a time of 20:34:48, Semelova left Kings Park with a giant 2nd place trophy. (See picture above.) An added bonus for her was that her team also took 2nd in the meet of 29 teams and 230 women runners.
Another highlight of Semelova's season was her victory at the NJIT Classic Collegiate Cross Country Invitational, where she ran 19:27 - her PR on a 5k cross-country course. Again, her team's success made Semelova's win even sweeter. Bloomfield College took the top four places as well as seventh place, making them the clear victors of the meet.
The only part of cross country this year that Semelova found disappointing was how she raced during the championship part of her season,which included the NCAA Div. II East Regional Cross Country Championships. A sudden hip adductor injury, unfortunately, slowed Semelova down.
But the upbeat distance runner says she is glad to have given those final races a try.
"It definitely was a good experience, so if I get there next year, I’ll know what to do," she said.
Another athletic feat Semelova accomplished this fall was finishing fifth in her age group in the IRONMAN 70.3 in Princeton, NJ.
Czech out Semelova on the indoor track this winter as she speeds past you.
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