Cai and Holmberg championship ready again

Track seniors trying to finish strong

Troy Vigil, Staff Reporter
May 27, 2021

Dania Holmberg won the 1500 meters event at the Ken Shannon invitational at the University of Washington, and will look to do the same at the NCAA Division II championships. (Jacky Chen)

In their final year at Seattle Pacific University, Scout Cai and Dania Holmberg aren’t quite ready to hang up their spikes.

Holmberg, who specializes in long distance running, will be competing in the 1500-meter event. Holmberg ran the 1500 five times this season, winning all five. Last week at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championships, Holmberg posted a personal best of 4:27.91.

Both Holmberg and Cai will compete on the first day of the NCAA Championships.

During the outdoor season, Cai went ten for eleven in the pole vault while also jumping her PR of 13 feet, 3 inches.

Cai has competed in multi event competitions and pole vault in her career, and has always wanted to do well in those events despite some injuries in the past.

“Both multi’s and pole vault are demanding on the body. A lot of athletes do one or the other, but I wanted to do both because I thought I had potential to do well in both,” Cai said.

Senior Scout Cai, throwing the javelin at a meet on April Ninth, will compete in the Pole Vault at the NCAA Division II championships in Allendale, Michigan. (Marissa Lordahl)

One of Cai’s biggest strengths when it comes to being on the track is not showing her emotions to her competitors. “If I feel super anxious during competitions at times, no one can really tell because I’m good at keeping a straight face. Overall, I am usually a calm person. I’m also hard working not only in track but in school. I always try my best in whatever I pursue because hard work always pays off in the end.”

The four-year letterwinner thanked her coaches for being able to get the most out of her.

“I have always looked up to my coach Karl Lerum. He knows what I need to do to become a successful athlete. He’s incredibly supportive and was even a successful multi-event athlete in college himself,” Cai said. “I also look up to my coach Pat Licari who has had a lot of success in his coaching career. He is very patient and knowledgeable when he coaches.”

Cai hopes that people can see the hard work and determination she has put into her craft and hopes to inspire younger runners to remember to enjoy the little moments in the sport.

“Overall, I am an intrinsically motivated person. I compete in the sport of track and field because I honestly enjoy it and it makes me happy. I’m also very competitive and feel like hard work is rewarding at times. I hope to motivate younger track and field athletes to keep competing in the sport and enjoy it like I do.”