Kaila Barber was born to run and jump. Along with her twin sister Jade, the Barber kids were into playing tag, duck-duck goose and all the other high-energy games of youth. All that movement has paid off at Midpark as Kaila Barber madeaname for herself at this year's Division I state track meet in Columbus. After winning the 300-meter...
Midpark’s Kaila Barber won state championships in the 300-meter hurdles and long jump, helping the Meteors to a third-place finish.
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(Joshua Gunter | The Plain Dealer)
Kaila Barber was born to run and jump.
Along with her twin sister Jade, the Barber kids were into playing tag, duck-duck goose and all the other high-energy games of youth. All that movement has paid off at Midpark as Kaila Barber madeaname for herself at this year's Division I state track meet in Columbus.
After winning the 300-meter hurdles and long jump, she placed third in the 100 and anchored the fifth-place 4x400 relay team. Adding her 26 individual points to the relay, she was involved in 30 of Midpark's 31 team points that saw the Meteors tie Medina for third place.
The Midpark junior has earned The Plain Dealer's Girls Track Athlete of the Year honor.
"My favorite event was the 200 actually, but I can't do that now," said Barber. (The 200 is between the hurdles and relay final.) "I started to do the hurdles because I thought it would make me faster [for the 100 and 200]."
But a recurring hamstring injury that eventually forced Jade Barber out of the hurdles put her twin in the jumping mode.
"It feels easy some time, but then I get scared and stutter-step," said Barber, who only has a dozen 300 hurdles on her résumé. "I'm getting on it. It came together perfectly at regionals for one day."
She had the fastest time in the nation for the 300 hurdles after winning the Amherst regional in 40.88 seconds, which has since been lowered to 40.44 by Kori Carter of Claremont, Calif. Barber won in Columbus witha42.04.
At the Southwestern Conference meet, Barber became the first girl in the 37 years of the meet to win four open events with record titles in the long jump, 100, 200 and 300 hurdles.
While the future certainly looks promising, Kaila said getting her sister healthy and back on the track next year is the goal. The Barbers also play volleyball and basketball for the Meteors.
"I like basketball, but I'm not as good as I am in track," said Barber. "I'm looking forward to being back withmysister."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jmaxse@plaind.com, 216-999-5168