ADRIAN — Adrian Madison junior Nathan Mullins spent the winter chasing a faster time against some of the nation’s best hurdlers. Now, after months of indoor meets, varsity basketball and a standout spring campaign, the Trojans hurdler has positioned himself as a legitimate Division 3 state contender.
Mullins recently captured an LCAA championship in the 300-meter hurdles with a personal-best time of 40.97 seconds while also finishing runner-up in the 110 hurdles at the league finals. He already punched his ticket to the Division 3 state finals in Kent City with an early qualifying mark in the 110 hurdles, continuing a season that has turned him into one of the area’s premier hurdle specialists.
The momentum began long before the outdoor season opened.
Mullins competed at the Adidas Indoor Track Nationals in Virginia Beach in March, racing in the National Elite division of the 60-meter hurdles. The Madison junior ran 8.58 seconds and finished 17th out of 145 competitors, narrowly missing the finals by just .08 seconds.
The national-level experience helped sharpen Mullins heading into the spring season, where he has continued lowering times and breaking records.
“Last year at indoor states, I tore my IT band in the prelims,” Mullins said. “I wanted to come back next year, this current year, and medal at states. I was looking into indoor. I did it twice my sophomore season just to feel how it went. Then I decided to (go all out) my junior year to try and win states.”
Mullins balanced indoor track while also playing varsity basketball during the winter, a demanding schedule that required discipline and year-round conditioning. He qualified for nationals after competing at the MITCA MITS Indoor Championships, where he posted 8.81-second performances in both preliminaries and semifinals.
The junior has carried that form into outdoor competition.
Mullins owns a school-record 14.94 in the 110 hurdles, breaking a Madison record that had stood since 2003 before resetting the mark again later in the season. His 14.94 ranks fifth in Division 3, while his 40.97 in the 300 hurdles ranks 14th statewide in Division 3 entering the postseason.
He has won eight 110 hurdle races this season, including victories against Sand Creek, Blissfield, Onsted and Clinton. Mullins also claimed six wins in the 300 hurdles, highlighted by victories at the Hillsdale Invitational, LCAA championships and multiple league dual meets.
The Trojans standout said improvement out of the starting blocks has become one of the biggest keys to his breakout season.
“For 110, it’s really been my start since my whole career,” Mullins said. “I’ve been struggling with that. I’ve been slow at the blocks, but my coaches have been trying to help me with that, and they’ve been obviously making it better.”
Mullins credited coach Josh Powers and his teammates for helping elevate his performances in the longer hurdle race.
“For the 300, Coach Powers has really been helping me with my steps and my split times, which obviously has helped me a lot getting first (in the league meet),” Mullins said.
He also helped Madison’s 4×200-meter relay team capture an LCAA title with a season-best time of 1:31.93 alongside teammates De’Lante Garrison, Wade Garza and Derrek Tillman. The wins helped the team win back-to-back LCAA team titles.
Now, Mullins is focused on finishing the season with the accomplishment that narrowly escaped him a year ago.
The junior qualified for the state finals in the 110 hurdles as a sophomore but battled through injury and missed the podium. This season, he believes the experience and extra work have him prepared for a breakthrough postseason run.
“At states, I want to get top three,” Mullins said.
With regionals approaching and a state finals berth already secured, Mullins and the Trojans will now turn their attention toward their host-regional meet and then to Kent City, where the Madison junior hopes to close out his long year with the first all-state finish of his career.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Adrian Madison hurdler Nathan Mullins looks to for all-state finish
