The RoundHouse | 1/28/2021 5:01:00 PM

Everybody's got a role, in addition to running fast and clearing hurdles, so they can help each other run fast and clear hurdles.
 
Joseph Holthusen is fast out of the blocks and a fierce competitor with all-conference on his resume as a freshman. Kieron Hunter, slowed by injuries as a Shocker in 2020, is the funny guy in the group, keeping everybody upbeat. Antonio Norman finishes strong. 
 
Junior transfer Yuben Goncalves, from Portugal, is technically sound and versatile enough to finish third in the triple jump in a triangular with Kansas and Kansas State, his first try at the event in college. Freshman Jaleel Montgomery loves track so much he works with the Shocker Track Club youngsters after practice. He won the 60 meters in the same triangular with the seventh fastest time (6.87 seconds) in Shocker history.
 
The Shockers are midway through their indoor season with the Shocker Invitational scheduled for Friday at the Heskett Center.  
 
That is the group that excites assistant director of track and field John Wise, who talks of national rankings, conference titles and berths in the Olympic Trials for this group. Then he wraps up by pointing out the group could run together for several more seasons.
 
"We've talked about having the best group in the country," Wise said. "Getting multiple people to the Olympic Trials this year. They want to accomplish some major things."
 
If they do, they will say it comes from the strength of the group.
 
"You enjoy it, because of the people around," Norman said. "It's not like you're actually practicing, because you're interacting with each other and time goes by fast."
 
Holthusen, from Wichita, is the most accomplished of the group. He finished second in the 60-meter hurdles in the American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships as a freshman. That time of 7.84 seconds in the 60 ranks second on Wichita State's career list.
 
This season, he won the 60 hurdles at the Jayhawk Classic and the triangular with Kansas and Kansas State.
 
"We've each got special parts of our races," he said. "When I'm working on my finish, (Antoine) will really push me. He's real strong. He catches up to me. He passes me a decent amount of time. Kieron has a really good start . . . so we're looking at him." 
 
Goncalves ran for two seasons at Cloud County Community College. He wanted to find this kind of atmosphere when he transferred. Wise envisions him as someone who can score points in multiple events – Goncalves placed second in the long jump (22 feet, 10 inches) in the Jayhawk Classic. 
 
"It was my desire to come to the U.S. and I was expecting a group like this, with hurdlers better than me so they could pull for me and I could pull for them and help them," he said. "I wanted a high-level hurdles group and I'm sure I'm going to improve with them."
 
Norman, from St. Louis, placed fourth in the AAC meet (7.92 seconds), No. 5 on the school career list. He studies Holthusen's start.
 
"I'm working with Joseph now, coming out of the blocks," Norman said. "I'm really focused on his leg drive. Looking at him – it's crazy that he's so quick."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.