West Catholic’s Taleea Buxton, fresh off hurdles record, will run at New Balance Nationals

West Catholic’s Taleea Buxton had one goal entering her final high school track and field season: to break the PIAA outdoor record in the 100-meter hurdles.

That meant she would have to run a sub-14 race. Her hurdling technique would have to be perfect, but Buxton pulled it off. She finished the final at the PIAA state championships on May 27 with a scorching time of 13.80 seconds, a PIAA Class 2A record.

The previous record of 14.03 was set by Markeeta Thomas of Paul Robeson in 2015.

“I came into the race and I knew it was my time,” said Buxton, who’s taking her talents to Syracuse next year. “It was my day. I just wanted to race with that mindset, and I did it.”

It’s how Buxton, a North Philly native, entered most races throughout her running career, especially on a big stage. Now the three-time All-American, two-time indoor state champion, and three-time outdoor state titlist will compete one last time as a high schooler at the New Balance Nationals at Franklin Field on Saturday.

At 9:50 a.m., Buxton will run the 100-meter hurdles, facing Class 3A state champion Macaela Walker of Oxford, who has a personal record of 13.94.

“Everybody’s been waiting for me to run it,” Buxton said. “I haven’t been able to run an efficient race at nationals, so this race is going to be a statement for me. I’m looking forward to it, and putting on for my city.”

Throughout her high school career, the No. 1 hurdler in the state has dealt with lingering injuries that, Buxton said, held her back from competing at full potential. But from the moment she stepped on the track at age 12, she knew this is where she belonged, so no matter what it took, Buxton was committed to overcoming adversity.

“As she got older, she began to understand why we do what we do,” said Brandon Shell, the president and coach of Infinity Track Club. “She recognized that this was all part of the process and embracing that. She’s up for the task and the work that it’s going to take to go where she wants to go.”

Shell saw early on that Buxton had a natural gift, despite being a late bloomer to the sport. She needed to work on technique, but around the age of 14, Buxton made drastic progression in her times.

It became evident that she could do this on a higher level.

“She was pretty fearless, which is the way to be as a hurdler — you go full-speed at objects in front of you,” Shell said. “She was able just to build up confidence quickly in that event. The more confidence, the more aggressive she got it.”

Buxton spent two years of her high school career competing at Bishop McDevitt in Wyncote. When the school permanently closed in 2020, she enrolled at West Catholic since Eric Young, her track and field coach at McDevitt, was joining the Burrs’ program.

In her four seasons — outside of the COVID-19 pandemic canceling the outdoor season in 2020 — Buxton won every state outdoor title and three indoor crowns. She couldn’t compete in this year’s indoor final because of a groin injury.

Buxton’s main priority was getting the chance to compete at the collegiate level. She also wanted to take the financial burden off her mother by earning an athletic scholarship. By the end of her recruiting process, she narrowed down her options to Louisiana State, Arizona State, and Syracuse.

“Syracuse was the best fit for me, and it kind of worked out because it’s a good school as well,” Buxton said. “I worked for it and I deserve it. This is all I ever wanted out of the sport, because if I was going to do it, I was going to do it all the way.”

Buxton has created a high school track and field legacy, and she’s ready to reach more milestones in upstate New York. Her goal is to place at the NCAA championships within her four years.

“I want to do this all the way,” she said. “I’m planning on going pro when the time is right. I also want to be a pediatric doctor, so I’m working toward that as well. I know I can do both.”

Shell added: “I expect that the sky’s the limit. She’s as good as anybody out there, and she doesn’t even really know how good she can be.”