Junior men’s and women’s track standouts Zach Michon, John Walker and Caroline Duffy made significant contributions in the Atlantic 10 Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship held at George Mason University from Feb. 23-24.

The trio led the men’s and women’s track squads. Michon brought home a gold medal in the mile and a bronze medal in the 3000m. Walker earned a gold medal in the distance medley relay and two silver medals in the mile and 4x800m relay. Duffy finished the weekend earning points in all three of her events.

For Michon and Walker, their weekend’s success began on Feb. 23 as Walker ran the anchor 1600m leg of the gold medaling Distance Medley Relay team. Walker said the energy created by that performance set the tone for the next day of racing.

“The atmosphere was like nothing I’ve ever experienced,” Walker said. “I’ve never seen the St. Joe’s section get as rowdy — chanting, screaming and going crazy — as they were for that race. It was hard to not be motivated to give it my all.”

Michon said that moment had a cascading inspirational effect on his own racing.

“At these big conference meets, you gain momentum as the meet goes on,” Michon said.  “Seeing the performances of your teammates before racing gives you that energy and edge to take part and keep the ball rolling.”

Michon began competition on Feb. 24, joining Walker in the mile race. The duo took home respective first and second place finishes.

Michon said claiming the top two spots with his training partner meant the world to both of them and affirmed their hard work over the course of the season..

“John and I are great workout partners,” Michon said. “We are very close in ability so it’s great to have someone right there to train with and be pushing you every day.”

Michon wrapped up his successful A-10 competition two hours later, taking home third place in the 3000m. 

Meanwhile, Walker said he had more to give. Men’s track and field Head Coach Mike Glavin said he was not going to stand in the way of Walker’s ambition.

“John Walker, when he finished the mile with his gold medal in the distance medley and silver in the mile, came to me and said, ‘if you need me for the 4×800, I’m here,’” Glavin said. “When a guy’s hot like that and he’s not hurt, sometimes him and his third race will be better than someone who’s fresh because the guy’s just on fire.”

Walker led the relay with an 800m split of 1.54.4 and topped his collected hardware with a second-place team finish. Glavin said Michon and Walker’s A-10 success stems from their decision to embrace the life of an athlete.

“First of all, they have talent, second of all they are both competitive kids and thirdly they have desire,” Glavin said. “Their desire causes them to set up athletics and run as a lifestyle: to make choices, not sacrifices, to be great.”

For the women’s track and field team, junior captain Duffy led the charge, contributing a total of eight points for her team. Individually, she claimed fourth place and a personal best of 55.24 in the 400m, eighth place in the 200m and seventh place in the 4×400 relay.   

“Overall, I am really happy with my performance coming out of this weekend,” Duffy said. “It was great PRing and going sub-56 in both [the 400 meter preliminary and final race], contributing a point to the team in my 200 meter race and finishing up with the relay, being able to run with three other teammates and get that [ECAC qualifying spot].”

With the A-10 Championship being stretched out over a weekend, Duffy said that she had to place her faith in her preparation.

“Mentally I had to just trust my training,” Duffy said. “At this point, we’ve done all the work and so it just becomes about putting that work to the test.”

Duffy PRed in the 400m preliminary race with a time of 55.68 before surpassing it in the final with a time of 55.24. Women’s track and field Head Coach Melody O’Reilly said she is impressed by Duffy’s constant determination to better herself.

“She never ceases to amaze me in her consistency,” O’Reilly said. “This year more than ever, she has seemingly PRed every time she has gone out and competed.”

O’Reilly also said Duffy’s character stands out among the many athletes she has coached throughout her career.

“She is the only time we’ve had a junior captain, so that’s how much I respect her as an athlete in her approach to everything she does,” O’Reilly said. “She puts everything down into everything she does.”