Trent Burningham chases state dreams
Junior Trent Burningham competes earlier this season in a meet. He has advanced in three events to the Regional track meet.
April 28, 2022
Junior Trent Burningham is proof that athleticism runs in the family. The varsity track and basketball star has made an immense impact, whether it be on the court or the track, just like his Silver Star sister, senior Callie Burningham. Even his parents were athletes in high school.
“My parents are my biggest supporters,” Burningham said. “They’re always at my meets, screaming and cheering me on. They’ve signed me up for summer track, they’ve helped me learn to communicate with coaches and to stay healthy.” You just got to push through the pain and don’t ever take it easy. If I want to stay in the top three and make it to state, I can’t skip practice. — Trent Burningham, junior
Burningham is one of the nine athletes who qualified for the regional track meet. He will be competing in the 400m race, the 800m race, and the 4x400m relay at Turner Stadium this weekend.
This is his first year competing in the 800m, so he has no reference point in regards to improvement, but he has noticed an extreme improvement from past years in the 400m and 4x400m. His ultimate goal for the season was to make it to regionals, but now that he has achieved that goal, his sights are set on state.
“It’s really just been showing up to practice and giving it my all every day,” Burningham said. “It sucks at practice, but you just got to push through the pain and don’t ever take it easy. If I want to stay in the top three and make it to state, I can’t skip practice.”
Burningham was on the varsity basketball team, and making his transition back to track proved to be one of his biggest challenges.
“I was just really out of shape,” Burningham said. “I didn’t start off the season too well and I just had to work really hard to get back in shape.”
Burningham loves his sports because he loves to win. Basketball provides him with a community of brothers to support, but track gives him all the glory.
He hopes to continue his career past high school, with his dream school being Brigham Young University in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Ultimately, be looking out for Burningham as he hopes to set a PR at regionals in the 800m.
“I really hope to run a 1:55,” Burningham said. “My favorite race, though, is the 4x400m because it’s the last event of the day and gets extremely hyped up.
Burningham is looking forward to regionals and the possibility of state, especially because he is doing what he loves.
“It’s just a feeling of accomplishment after working hard every day,” Burningham said. “When you’re in the middle of practice and you’re hurting and your coach tells you to get back on the line it’s hard. When you see results at the meets it just feels really good and beating other people is always fun.”
