Salute to Seniors: Nikalas Graves (Heritage-Lynchburg)

<p> <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: invert none 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana;">Are you a graduating high school senior and/or never been featured on MileStat.com&#39;s front page in an athlete spotlight interview article? Well here is your chance! Want to be featured in our Salute To Seniors series? Drop me a line:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:milestat@gmail.com" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">milestat@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;and answer the questions below! Congratulations to the class of 2013 on all their hard work and success.</em></strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"> <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: invert none 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana;">We are keeping these Salute to Seniors feature articles free and open to subscribers and non-subscribers alike to enable these athletes to share this online spotlight on them with family, friends and teammates, but we do greatly appreciate <a href="http://va.milesplit.com/subscribe">subscriptions</a> and donations in the off-season summer months to keep us afloat to make it to the fall to cover next year&#39;s crop of seniors and runners. Thanks</em></strong></p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://va.milesplit.com/subscribe">SUBSCRIBE</a> OR DONATE BELOW TO MILESTAT.COM!</h3> <p style="text-align: center;"> &nbsp;</p> <form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"> <p style="text-align: center;"> <input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />&nbsp;<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="5MNDLBHQHN9E4" />&nbsp;<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif" type="image" />&nbsp;<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" /></p> </form>

 

Salute to Seniors series article feature on Heritage (Lynchburg) jumper Nikalas Graves. Graves was a Group AA state qualifier this past year in both the long jump and triple jump at the indoor and outdoor state championships including an All-State 7th place finish in the triple jump indoors. Headed to Western Texas College next, Graves produced personal best leaps in both the long jump (21'6.50") and triple jump (45'8.75") at the Seminole District Outdoor Championships last month.  

Interview with Heritage (Lynchburg) jumper Nikalas Graves

What was your most memorable race?
The 4x2 indoor this year running against William Fleming at Heritage.
 

Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?
Marquis Brown.
 
What was your greatest accomplishment?
Qualifying for nationals.
 
If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?
I would have focused on just track since 9th grade.
 
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
Being injured twice my senior year.
 
What will you miss the most?
My teammates.
 
What advice you would give to younger athletes?
Take everything serious and one day you will be a champion.
 
What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?
A big one. My coach is my dad and he pushes me everyday.
 
What are your college plans?
Attend Western Texas College and run track.
 
Who would you like to say thank you to?
Mom and dad for being there every time I was down. 
 
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
I am a die hard triple jumper. I live by this quote "Ïf it ain't broke.... then break it"