At an outdoor meet in New York on May 20, Sophia Gorriaran finished the 800m in 2:00.65. The performance was one of the fastest times a high school girl has ever run.
It was, Gorriaran hoped, the start of a stretch that would include competing at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in June and the World U20 Championships in August.
Instead, Gorriaran sustained a strained hamstring later that week in May, which she attributes to overuse due to running and playing in lacrosse games. The injury forced her to miss the rest of the outdoor track season.
Over the next two months, Gorriaran rested and underwent rehabilitation. She was determined to return better than ever.
In early November, the Moses Brown School senior won the Rhode Island state cross country title by more than 40 seconds. A...