Elijah Gualdin – Tiffin Track and Field
“Track gave a kid that was nervous to talk to anybody a voice. I grew up stuttering really badly and track has been my way to express myself. It taught me that their are endless amounts of opportunities in this world, you just have to chase them.”
“I’ve fought my way to the top of the totem pole. I earned my spot at the Division 2 level. I’m originally from Gary Indiana and out of high school I wasn’t heavily recruited so I had to make my own way. I signed with an NAIA school, Olivet Nazarene University, with pretty much school paid for. I loved the sport and felt I wasn’t getting any better so I made a bold move and looked for other options. I emailed Division I, Division II and Division III schools and the only school that took a chance on me was Tiffin University. Granted I had never been out the state of Indiana. I walked on to the team my sophomore year leaving a great scholarship at ONU. I worked day in and day out to get a spot on this team while working a part time job and staying in the books. I eventually ran at the division 2 national championship in Texas in 2019 and was apart of Tiffin University’s first 4×100 National Championship.”
“Winning the Division 2 National Championship defined my career because I knew if I put my mind to something and stayed prayerful God would handle the rest. I would tell my younger self to trust your gut, and don’t be afraid to take a risk. Continue to believe in yourself and surround your self by a great crowd. Never lose faith in God.”
“Paths are harder being a Black student athlete because you are looked at differently. My mental health as a Black man is ignored and I feel like the biggest thing in college sports is making sure a student-athlete’s mental health is fine. Now a days you’re ‘soft’ or a ‘simp’ if you show signs of depression or anxiety, but being a student athlete that’s dedicating their time to a sport that could potentially opens paths and pay for school is amazing. Black student takes just want to be loved the same way we love everyone. We want to feel equal.”
“Racial equality in the future for sports will be the biggest stamp in history. As athletes we have a voice, a platform ,so why not use it to get a message across.”
