It’s Briggs Catino’s, junior at Portsmouth High School, first season running winter track in his life. He now holds a spot among the top six runners in the state for the Boys’ 300-meter race.
Catino, previously known for his speed and agility on the lacrosse and soccer fields, has made the transition to the track look easy.
“He was one of the guys you could not catch during tag at recess,” said Gar Hindle, a junior at PHS and a lifelong friend of Catino.
In Catino’s most recent race, he placed 0.01 seconds behind the winner, with a 300-meter time of 38.31.
Catino’s speed has made him a standout on the track. It’s one of his best attributes, setting him apart from other runners.
“I’ve always enjoyed running and was curious to see if I would be good against actual track runners,” Catino said. “I still have a lot to learn and am excited for the future.”
One of Catino’s teammates, junior Patrick Bancroft, had many positive comments about Catino. “Briggs is a great guy and a very talented runner,” Bancroft said.
Bancroft also described Catino as one of the leaders of the team. “He’s a role model for the younger kids. He leads by example. Briggs is one of those people you can always rely on.”
Michael Lyford, head coach of the track team and math teacher at PHS, also added to the fact that Catino is a great teammate by calling him a “team player.”
“He leads by example, and I can see him taking a larger leadership role when he has understood track a little bit more,” Lyford says.
It’s clear that Catino will undoubtedly be a major leader of the winter track squad after some time and experience.
Catino’s track journey is far from over. He looks at continuing to dominate the track and improve as a runner. Catino has high hopes for the rest of the season and looks forward to next winter, where he will carry on leading, running, and learning.
