Girls Track and Field: Newark’s Kiara Wesseh overcomes ‘mental block,’ soars back to state for third time

Kiara Wesseh’s journey back to Charleston was not a straight line forward, although she’s riding high now.

The Newark junior, a two-time Class 1A state runner-up in the high jump, also took second at the Top Times indoor state championships in March.

But she hit a detour early in outdoor season.

“I had a mental block,” Wesseh said. “Once the bar got to 5 feet, 4 inches or even 5-3, it felt so high and I couldn’t get myself to jump. I would run through, and run out of time. It was frustrating.”

That is adversity not entirely uncommon to Wesseh. She also dealt with it as a freshman, after her eighth-grade season was lost to the pandemic.

Wesseh, though, is back. She cleared 1.65 meters (5-5) at sectionals, the second-best mark in the state last week, to win the high jump at the Class 1A Seneca Sectional. She also won the 100-meter dash, 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles at sectionals, so she’ll be arriving at Eastern Illinois University this weekend with the wind at her back.

Wesseh leads area qualifiers for the meet that starts with Class 1A preliminaries Thursday, resumes Friday with Class 2A and Class 3A prelims, and concludes Saturday with finals in all three classes.

She carried a boatload of experience with her, having won six state medals her first two years of high school.

“My freshman year, I didn’t really know what to expect, it was kind of different. Then last year we had to transfer to jumping inside the fieldhouse because of the weather,” Wesseh said. “Now I feel like I have experienced everything. I feel like I’m pretty prepared. Hopefully it all goes well.”

Wesseh owns Class 1A’s top high jump of 1.70 meters during outdoor season, from back on April 11. And she’s worked to put the mental block behind her. Coaches helped her by putting up a bungee super high in practice.

“They would put it up to 5-10, put my mind at ease that it was just a bungee, not a bar. Even if I fully landed on it, I’d be fine,” Wesseh said. “Eventually I was able to clear it and I felt easier as time goes on. I hit a low point, and it was a struggle, but the last couple weeks I’ve felt really good and really strong. Hopefully I’m peaking at the right time.”

Wesseh figures to have a busy weekend, with the fourth-best 100 hurdles time of 15.55 seconds, fourth-best 300 hurdles time of 46.25, and seventh-best 100-meter dash time of 12.57 coming out of sectionals.

“I’m getting good sleep, eating good, mentally preparing for how it’s going to feel in that environment,” Wesseh said. “I feel prepared, but mainly excited.”

Wesseh is just one of many area medal hopefuls in Charleston.

In Class 2A, Sandwich freshman Sunny Weber, the Class 1A state runner-up in cross country last fall, posted the top 3,200 time statewide of 10:39.72 at sectionals last week, and the third-best 1,600 time of 5:04.01. The favorite in both races, though, is Olney Richland County’s Tatum David, who ran an IHSA record 3,200 time of 9:48.94 in April, and also ran the fastest 800 and 1,600 times at sectionals.

Weber has never run against David, but the reputation of the Richland County star precedes her.

“I’m kind of intimidated by her, to be honest,” Weber said. “I think I’m going to try to stay relaxed, not try to keep pace with her, that will wear down my energy. I’m going to try to run my own race and focus on other competitors.”

Weber, who broke both the 1,600 and 3,200 school records this spring, is in a different place mentally than she was for state cross country.

“Definitely less anxiety and less stress, I would say. I’m already here, and there is nothing that can be done to change that,” she said. “I’m feeling good about my events, confident.”

So is Sandwich senior and Eastern Michigan recruit Claire Allen, a two-time state medalist in both shot put and discus who will look to medal in both for the third time. Runner-up in each event once, Allen also aspires for her first state title.

Allen’s discus throw of 42.79 meters at sectionals was tops in the state, with her shot put effort 12.42 meters second-best. Both were personal bests.

“I had a big weekend last week,” Allen said. “I’m just hoping I can do the same thing, maybe better. Everything is pulling together.”

Allen is feeling good about her technique going into the season’s biggest meet. The biggest key is maintaining proper balance.

“Once I get my balance down, I have got it,” Allen said. “That’s what I’m focusing on these last few days.”

The weekend shapes up as a potentially big one for area throwers.

Yorkville sophomore Courtney Clabough could add to her family’s recent legacy in the shot put, as her sectional throw of 12.91 meters was the top mark in the state. Hoffman Estates’ Amaya Henrickson has the top outdoor shot put throw this spring of 13.11 meters.

Clabough, who also qualified in the discus, took third in the discus and fourth in the shot put as freshman. Her older brother Kyle, now a freshman at Wisconsin, won Class 3A shot put titles in 2021 and 2022.

“My throw at sectionals, my PR I think gave me the confidence I needed going into state,” Clabough said.

Clabough feels much better right now about her shot than discus, with throws consistently around 40 feet and marks improving the last few weeks.

“I’m just stronger than I was last year,” Clabough said. “My technique was pretty good last year, it improved a little. But I’m definitely more stronger and powerful.”

Elsewhere, Oswego East’s Hailey Soriaga is seeded seventh in the pole vault based off sectional marks, Yorkville and Oswego are seeded sixth and seventh, respectively, in the 4x800 relay, Oswego’s Audra Soderlind is seeded 12th in the 3,200, Oswego’s Chaleica Booker is seeded fifth in the 400, and Plano’s Armoney Clay is seeded 10th in the Class 2A 100.