Emma athletes have been hard at work during a rigorous week of pre-season practices. To keep them in fighting spirit and shape, several special guests have come to Mount Ida to get them geared up for another great season.
On Thursday, August 30, the cross country team was treated to a private training session from Olympian Emerson Hernandez. Emerson race walked in the men’s 50-meter race walk at the 2012 London Olympics for El Salvador. At the recent Olympics, Emerson walked 31 miles in 3 hours 53 minutes!
He gave the team lessons in the highly technical skill of race walking. Emma’s own race walker, senior Bridget O’Malley, joined in the practice. Bridget started race walking just last year and has already earned twelfth place in the state in the women’s 1500-meter race walk.
On Friday, August 31, alumna Senator Kirsten Gillibrand ’84 stopped by to get a preseason workout with the tennis team. She played doubles with some of this year’s players and wished the whole team well in the new season.
She encouraged the team to continue playing tennis or other sports in college on a team or in a club, telling them that athletics will keep them focused during their time in school.
