Bryant Qualls is a senior at Mercer County High School in Harrodsburg. He was a member of the winning Class AA 3200m Relay Team.
What was your most memorable race/event?
My most memorable race would have to be the 4x800 at state this year. Not only did we win, but this was our second 4x800 state championship in a row.
Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?
I wouldn’t consider them competition, but Dean Tyler and Jacob Crowell have pushed me in practice for the past 6 years and the inner squad competition we had was a big reason for a lot of the accomplishments I've had as a high school runner.
What was your greatest accomplishment?
I would say that being a state champion and holding multiple school records are my greatest accomplishments.
If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?
If I could do it all over again I would have ran more in the off seasons and not just have done easy work outs and would have pushed myself more.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
The mental aspect of running. When I started to get tired during a race having to push through the pain and keep going was a hard obstacle to overcome.
What will you miss the most?
I will miss my teammates and coaches for sure! Bill Smith, Mark Dunn, Terry Yeast, Dean Tyler and Jacob Crowell just to name a few.
What advice you would give to younger athletes?
To never sell yourself short and always push hard. If you do that you can accomplish a lot!
What influence has your coaches had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?
They have taught me that to achieve my goals in anything I do I will have to work incredibly hard and give 100% effort towards my goals.
What are your plans for college or joining the workforce next year?
Next year I will be running at Kentucky Wesleyan College along side some very talented athletes and a very good coach in John Blackwell.
Who would you like to say thank you to?
I would like to say thank you to Bill Smith and Mark Dunn for pushing me and making me work hard everyday in order to become the runner I am today, so thank you coach Smith and Coach Dunn.