By Joy Hanna
From her swift feet to her bright and sharp mindset, senior Sofia Abrego has created a career that is going as fast as her running, and she isn’t planning on stopping anytime soon.
At the tender age of seven, Abrego and her twin brother Pablo, joined track and field. Since then, running has been a crucial part of Abrego’s life both on campus and off.
“Now that I’m older, I have found more personal reasons to continue running. Running has always been an outlet for me and I can’t imagine my life without it,” Abrego said.
Although it is not a sport that most people would consider enjoyable, and some athletes even stay away from running because it is stressful on the body, being on the track and getting ready to run is Abrego’s favorite part of her day.
Abrego has been a City Section champion in five different races, two in cross country and three in track and field, along with being a state qualifier four different times.
As a sophomore, Abrego competed at the Footlocker cross country national competition in 2019. Only 40 high school girls around the nation qualified for the competition.
“That has been by far the most challenging, prestigious, and life-changing event I have ever participated in,” Abrego said.
Abrego placed 33rd place in the competition.
“The race was very humbling but an awesome experience regardless,” Abrego said.
Abrego often has a positive outlook in her competitions. She tends to find that races, regardless of how she places, open up many opportunities for her. She has had a significant increase in the interest she has received from Universities, for example.
After graduating, Abrego is headed to Dartmouth College, which is something that she is thrilled about, not just for her place on their cross country team, but for the academic opportunities attending such a prestigious school allows.
“I hope to make a name for myself at Dartmouth and rediscover all the great aspects of running. I am filled with countless ambitions but my main goal is to do the best possible and hopefully qualify for prestigious competitions with my new team. On top of being a great academic school, the team there felt like a tight-knit family, and the environment itself was perfect for me. I hope that my passion for running continues to grow in the following years,” Abrego said.
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