Texas track and field athlete Kendrick Smallwood kept his emotions in check until he crossed the finish line of the 110-meter hurdles. He saw his time — a wind-aided 13.07 seconds — and unleashed a primal scream before collapsing into a ball in front of the scoreboard, sobbing.
Smallwood's performance in the Texas Relays wasn't just another win. Simply being on the track in the first place meant more to him than running a new personal best. Last April, at the Mt. SAC Relays, he suffered a gruesome injury, tearing his abductor right off the bone to end his season prematurely. As he limped around for a month and a half, Smallwood wondered if he would ever rediscover his best performance.
Any doubts the Longhorn had dissipated Saturday, the final symbolizing the completion of his year-long journey back to the track.
"I gotta give to God, I gotta give it to Flo (Floréal)," Smallwood said. He choked up, tears streaming down his face.
"Doubting myself, thinking I'm not gonna come back, then coming back and doing something crazy like this. It's a blessing, man."
Smallwood took a moment to gather himself. He hates crying in front of cameras, he said. As he wiped his eyes, Kentucky runner Alex Chukwukelu walked over and hugged Smallwood, congratulating his fellow competitor.
Both runners hail from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, though Chukwukelu readily admits Smallwood, one year his senior, beat him all the time in high school. The Wildcat smiled in admiration, despite knowing the Longhorn's success spells trouble for his future. He's known Smallwood for years, and the UT runner's bright personality makes it easy for Chukwukelu to root for him.
"I know people be talking about him, saying, 'Since he's gone, I can finally shine,"' Chukwukelu said. "Since he came back on his grind, he finally put everybody in their place."
Life almost broke Smallwood. He couldn't run for ...
