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THE INTERVIEW WITH GABRIELLE GRAY
High Point Central, senior, girls track & field

Gabrielle Gray, 18, ran the top time in the state in the 55-meter dash (7.11 seconds) last year and tied for 11th in the 60 dash (7.71) at the New Balance Indoor Nationals in New York. She posted a 55-dash time of 6.98 seconds earlier this season at a meet at Liberty University, the second-fastest in the nation. She has verbally committed to South Carolina.

Q: When did you first get into running track, and what made you stick with it?
A: At first my dad got me into soccer because of how fast I was. I was faster than boys, so he introduced me to (High Point Central) Coach (Wayne) Jones and that’s when I got into track, when I was about 7. My dad always told me that this could be my ticket to college, and now, after all these years, I’m getting a full scholarship to the University of South Carolina.

Q: What are your expectations for yourself this season?
A: Hopefully, I win nationals for indoor and also get the No. 1 time in the nation. Right now I’m No. 2 in the 55. I ran a 6.98 at a track meet at Liberty like two weeks ago. The top time is 6.84. I expect myself to get better.

Q: Why did you choose to forgo competing in the NCHSAA state meet last season?
A: It was outside, and most people didn’t want to go because it was too cold. My coach didn’t want me to go. It’s supposed to be indoor, not in the cold. We call those polar bear meets.

Q: Are you planning to compete in the state track meet this season?
A: Yes, because it’s going to be indoor. I think I have a chance to win it. I think I do. I’m just going to keep working hard and we’ll see what happens.

Q: Can you explain the difference between competing for the state title and competing at a national meet?
A: At the state championship meet, I know everyone. But when it comes to the national meets, it’s a whole bunch of people I’ve never seen before and it’s new competition. That’s the difference for me. It’s stronger than the state meet. There are girls out there who are way faster than me that I probably never ran against yet, so at nationals, I wouldn’t really worry about them, but I just run my best and as hard as I can.

Q: What was it like competing at the New Balance Indoor Nationals last year?
A: That was my second time going. It’s pretty fun. You meet new people and it’s fun to go somewhere new, and the track was pretty nice. My goal is to make it to finals … and hopefully I will win. It’s in New York again.

Q: How do you get prepared to compete in a big event?
A: I just eat right and when it’s time for the meet, I don’t do hard workouts. I do easy workouts to keep my legs fresh. That’s about it. Before my race I do some sprints … and whatever I have to do to start sweating. They say it’s good to start sweating when your race is coming up.

Q: What are your favorite events, other than the 55 dash?
A: The 100 and the 300. I’m just a sprinter.

Q: Do you have any superstitions or any routines that you follow?
A: I don’t have a routine except for whenever it’s time for a race, I always drink (the sport nutrition product) Muscle Milk before a race. It’s just milk. My dad said it gives me energy. But you have to drink water after the Muscle Milk, because it will dry your mouth out. It really does give me energy.

Q: What does it take to compete at such a high level? What do you do to train?
A: Hard work. Even though it can be painful sometimes, you have to get through it to be the best.

Q: What are your plans for college, as far as academics?
A: I want to be a physical therapist. I like to help people and athletes … and it just seems like a nice field to go into. When people are hurt, I like to help them out, to help them heal.

Q: What’s something interesting about you that most people don’t know?
A: Well, I am a random person. I’m weird. I like to walk up to random people and just talk to them. My friends think I’m weird, but I make friends that way.

Q: Do you have any pets?
A: I have two cats, a dog and a guinea pig. The cats are very weird in their own way. I have a black cat named Sabrina. That’s my favorite, because she likes to be around me all the time. And my cat Tabetha, she’s really mean and likes to keep to herself. My dog is Sosa, he’s a pit-lab mix. He’s very energetic, and gets a little annoying sometimes because he likes to jump on you and get up in your face. And when you’re eating, he’ll sit there and watch you eat and make you give him some food. … It’s my brother’s guinea pig. Her name is Bebe. The guinea pig just sits in its cage the whole day. It doesn’t smell that bad, not as bad as people say.

Q: How many siblings do you have?
A: I have three, two older brothers and one younger one. It’s cool sometimes. But they can really get on my nerves. One of my older brothers is really overprotective. He’s worse than my dad. He’s kind of crazy. I’m going to give you a story. One time I went to the movies with my friends, and my dad, he told my brother that I called and said that a fire alarm came on in the movie theater, and so I had to stay later. But my brother got really mad and thought I had a boy with me. But it was just my dad making a joke … and he felt really stupid and we started laughing at him.

Q: What bothers you more than anything else?
A: I’m a very nice person, and I don’t like when people have a problem with me. That hurts my feelings. I never do anything to people. I try to be a nice person.

Q: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time, other than running?
A: I like to dance and play the piano. I’ve been playing on and off ever since I was about 9. I don’t know how to read music, I just do it by ear.