Salmon Returned to AggieLand For Hurdle Glory

Aggies indoor teams to compete at Clemson Invitational.

EAST GREENSBORO – A dream that started with running through the hallway of her elementary school could culminate with North Carolina A&T women's track and field standout Paula Salmon (GR, Brooklyn, N.Y.) hurdling her way to a national championship.

Salmon, a graduate of N.C. A&T, who is in the school's masters of arts and teaching program under health and physical education graduate studies, begins her hurdle steps toward trying to become a national champion this weekend as the men's and women's track and field indoor teams travel to
Clemson, S.C. to compete in the Clemson Invitational, Jan. 14-15.

In his first season at N.C. A&T, Salmon redshirted. She also received an extra year because of the COVID pandemic; therefore, she still has one more indoor and outdoor season if she chooses to take it. But Salmon does not know what tomorrow holds, so she would prefer to land national championships in the 60-meter hurdles (indoor) and the 100 and 400mh (outdoor) in 2022.

But being a championship hurdler is only a fraction of who Salmon is. She is one of the most versatile athletes on the roster. She has competed for the women's cross country team, competed as a high jumper and a relay runner during her time at N.C. A&T.

Her versatility extended into running the pentathlon for the Aggies during the 2019 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) indoor track and field championships. The event included her competing in the 60mh, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800 meters.

She also owns a MEAC indoor event title in the high jump from the 2020 season. But what she wants are national titles in the hurdles.

"I'm very hungry," said Salmon about winning hurdles on the national level. "I've been training since September because my main goal is to win hurdles in indoor and outdoor. I enjoy doing high jump, but I didn't think I would do high jump in college.

Due to my leaping ability, my coach decided to let me do the high jump, where I could get us some points at conference and nationals. I believe I can succeed on the national level in the high jump, but that's not my main focus. My main focus is hurdles."

The love of track and field started in elementary school for Salmon when her gym teacher would spot her running through the halls. He encouraged Salmon's mother to let the high-energy youngster compete in track. From the beginning, Salmon's versatility was apparent as she started running multiple events almost immediately.

Even when she transitioned to high school, she ran multiple events. But there was a bit of a problem when she reached Clara Barton High School.

"My freshman and sophomore year, I wasn't that good," said Salmon. "I was the best on my team, but based on other athletes, my times were considered slow."

Therefore, Salmon made a choice. She stopped running for her high school team and started entering races as unattached to run against faster athletes. The strategy worked so much so that a former N.C. A&T track and field assistant approached her at indoor high school nationals about attending N.C. A&T.

There were two critical factors in Salmon's decision to become an Aggie. First, she admired N.C. A&T All-American sprinter Christopher Belcher who at the time was embarking on a professional career. Two, the head coach was a former world-class hurdler in Duane Ross.

"It's a gift," Salmon said about having Ross as her coach. "He has high expectations for all his hurdlers because that's his event, so he's always on it. If you do something wrong, he's going to tell us over and over again."
Salmon said Ross's words have such an impact; the hurdles group have learned to critique each other when Ross is not present.

"Paula has great knowledge of her event," said Ross. "She understands why and how things must happen to be a great hurdler. Secondly, she has great awareness and can immediately implement what she learns. Finally, her power is also a great asset. Remember, she jumps (5-foot, 10-inches) in the high jump, so she is very explosive."

Salmon has qualified for the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round (regionals) twice in her career, including last outdoor season. She reached NCAA outdoor nationals for the first time in her career in
2021, but she failed to make the final.

She also reached NCAA indoor nationals in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning, and the NCAA canceled nationals as the athletes were warming up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. But now Salmon has a few more chances to turn her hallway sprints into national glory. There is a certain former hurdler who knows how she can get there.

"Improving her hurdle mechanics this season will be key to her winning a national championship," said Ross. "She has made great strides so far this season."

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Paula Salmon: Hurdles; 5' 6"; Junior

Players Mentioned

Paula Salmon
: 5' 6"; Junior
: Hurdles