Young finding balance at second World Championships
Published:Sunday | August 20, 2023 | 12:09 AMDaniel Wheeler - Staff Reporter
BUDAPEST, Hungary
FRESHLY MINTED college graduate, Charokee Young, has had to experience the rigours of her first professional season.
While the transition has been difficult, Young says that her relentless drive and the experience gained from her first World Championships appearance in Oregon last year will play a key role as she begins her second in Budapest.
Young was set to compete in the first heat of the women’s 400m at 2:35 a.m., in a season where she balanced finishing her sports management degree at Texas A and M University and tried to balance that with intense training for her first professional season.
The balance has been difficult to find, but Young said that in the lowest moments, she had to find a way to push through.
“Now you are basically doing it for yourself, so you have to find some way to motivate yourself. It has been pretty hard just having to deal with summer school, training, practising, not really having training partners. But I have been pushing myself before. And in times whenever it gets hard that’s when you have to push yourself the hardest,” Young said
Young’s best time this year has been 50.45 seconds – clocked in May. And while it has been a long road, she feels more in tune with the demands required.
“The preparation has been pretty good, but also pretty challenging to train. I started practising in September and now it is August. It has been a long season, but it is a part of the process and so I just have to stay strong,” Young said.
What she has also done is to take viewers behind the curtain of her career.
“Vlogging is very time-consuming, so I have to try and find the time between trying to lock in for the championships and also having time just to breathe and enjoy life. What inspired me to get into vlogging is just to show people around me. I know my family is not able to be here and see what goes on at these championships but just to give them a little insight as to what goes on with my supporters.”