A relative newcomer to hurdling, Salem’s Bohn is crushing it

The sight of 10 33-inch-high hurdles set up 8.5 meters apart along a 100-meter stretch of track is intimidating even if you’re simply a spectator.

So imagine how Salem senior Natalia Bohn felt standing at the starting line of her first 100-meter hurdles race with hurdles in her vision (and path to the finish line) for as far as her eyes could see.

“Heading into my junior season of track, our coach Josh (Scripko) told me I would do really well at hurdles if I dedicated myself to those events (high school girls run 100- and 300-hurdle races),” recalled Bohn, who previously excelled at everything from the 100-meter dash to the 800-meter run.

“But to be honest, running hurdles was kind of scary for me. Even now, seeing all the hurdles lined up, it’s a little intimidating.

“My first 100 hurdles race my junior year, I took five steps between each hurdle because I wasn’t real confident yet. But the more work I put into it, the better I got.

She left her comfort zone

“I had to push myself out of my comfort zone when I switched from five steps between each hurdle (in the 100) to three steps but that’s when my times started dropping. ”

Bohn’s commitment to the challenging task of sprinting 100 and 300 meters while clearing strategically-aligned hurdles along the way has paid off big-time as she is one of southeast Michigan’s best hurdlers.

Among her growing list of achievements was setting the Highland Games’ three-year-old 100 meter hurdles record with a time of 15.04.

Overcoming the tumbles

Bohn’s ascension in the sport hasn’t come without a few bumps and bruises.

“I actually hit and broke a hurdle during practice last year,” she said. “I carry a piece of that hurdle in my backpack for good luck.”

(To check out a video of Bohn’s dominating performance against Plymouth, click here.)

Bohn was so dedicated to upping her game at hurdling that she practiced with a hurdle in her backyard before she passed her driver’s test last summer.

“Now that I can drive, I come up to the (P-CEP) track and practice in the summer,” she said.

Chance for some medals

Heading into Saturday’s KLAA Conference Meet at Hartland, Bohn is primed to medal — or win — both hurdles events.

“I’m happy with my progress, especially considering there are girls who start hurdling when they’re in middle school and I didn’t start until my junior year of high school,” she said.

“I’m seeded second in both the 100 and 300 for the conference meet behind Jada Wilson from Belleville.  I love competing against the best because it brings out the best in me.”

At last weekend’s Farmington Invitational — widely thought of as the most-talent-loaded invitational outside of the MHSAA State Meet — Bohn was spectacular, placing fourth in the 300 hurdless  in 46.85 seconds; and eighth in the 100 hurdles (15.22).

“I give a lot of credit to Coach Scripko because he’s the one who convinced me to focus on the hurdles and not run the 400 and 800 anymore,” she said. “I trusted that he knew what he was talking about. A big part of it was overcoming the fear factor that comes with hurdling.”

Ex-teammate assisted her climb

In addition to Scripko, Bohn credits former teammate Gracie Ray with pushing her to be great.

“Gracie and I were within a couple-tenths of a second of each other — she’d win, then I’d win — which was great because it made me better,” Bohn said. “To have someone like that to train with and compete against was amazing.”

Bohn’s hurdling skills attracted the eyes of several collegiate coaches. She will be hurdling in college beginning this fall, but she preferred not to reveal the destination until final details are worked out.

“I want to pursue a degree in exercise science or nursing,” she said. “I love athletics and I think it would be cool to be able to work in a field where I can work with young athletes.”

Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.