Rodrigo Souza storms towards the finish line to win not only the 55 meter high hurdles race at the recent Yale-New Haven Invitational but also tie the national record.

Senior Rodrigo Souza from Old Saybrook High School has broken school and state records, and now he is ranked number one in the nation in the 55 meter high hurdles.  On Jan. 16, at the Yale-New Haven relays Souza ran the distance in 7.43 seconds—a time that is tied for first in the nation with an athlete from Georgia.

Souza only began his track career in the spring of his freshman year, and has pursued both indoor and outdoor track ever since. In his sophomore and junior years, he ran cross-country in the fall and in his senior year, he played soccer.  Souza has taken karate for six years as well, but quit last year to focus on his hurdling.  Souza believes his karate training greatly helped his agility and flexibility—two major contributors to his success in the hurdles.

His track training consists of many speed workouts, which are high-paced exercises where he sprints multiple short distances.  Coach Pete Cappazone says of the track star, “Rodrigo is a very hardworking athlete, from his work on the track to the weight room, he never rests.” 

Souza is a track captain for the second successive year, and also a leader on the track as well as off it—it is clearly evident that many of the under classmen look up to him.  Souza has a few leaders he looks up to himself, such as Wayne Davis, a national record holder in the 55 meter hurdles, whom Rodrigo was fortunate to race against last year.

Souza will compete in the Nike National Meet in Boston on March 12.