LINDALE, Texas — Last year, Lindale's Colter Maya won the 400 meter dash state championship running a 47.78 in the state meet.
This season Maya came back even faster and defended his title with a blazing 46.58.
Maya got out the blocks quick and made up the stagger on the rest of the field, but the last 200m was when he turned on the jets. As he was crossing the line, he shrugged in a nonchalant manner and smiled when he saw he won.
This confidence is steamed from Maya's hard work he's been putting in this year to improve his time.
"I'm really looking for 45, so 46 isn't really big deal to me right now," Colter said. "I don't want to say well deserved but definitely it is, the workouts I put in all summer long, about 10 months of my life was spent just training. And so I feel like like I knew it was coming."
Colter studies his racing progression closely, so coming into this season he knew he needed to do something different to get faster.
"This summer especially I worked a lot on my top end speed. Because last year I was coming in, I was more of like an endurance runner," Colter said. "So I kind of like capped out at the end of the season. I was like, 'You know what, this race would be a lot easier, and it probably go a lot faster, if I just increase my top end speed'. So that's what I worked on."
Many athletes ultimate goal is state championships or at least qualifying for the event. Colter's goals are bigger and his perspective of success is put on a different scale.
"I don't really have a definition for that word {success} because what most people do is set a goal and say, 'Hey, once I get this goal, like I made it,' Colter said. "But for me once I get something I'm just looking for what's next. So I'm never really happy with my times. I'm always looking for what's the next thing so as soon as I get it, I just go in and attack the very next thing."
Colter plans on competing in summer meets such as New Balance Nationals Outdoors in June. He's hoping to run even faster and secure college offers.