Medgar Evers HS track star Kadecia Baird suffers hip injury, not pulled hamstring, during Hispanic Games 400-meter dash but may run before end of month

Medgar Evers HS track star Kadecia Baird suffers hip injury, not pulled hamstring, during Hispanic Games 400-meter dash but may run before end of month

 

When Medgar Evers track star Kadecia Baird went down with an apparent left hamstring pull during the 400-meter dash during Saturday’s Hispanic Games at the Armory, she was in obvious distress, screaming and wincing as she pulled up lame and fell down in a heap one lap into the race.

Baird had to be assisted to the trainer’s room in a situation Medgar Evers coach Nicola Martial called “scary.” Fortunately for Baird, her injury is not as severe as originally feared.

According to Martial, a doctor confirmed that Baird did not pull her hamstring, but rather she’s experiencing tightness there as the result of a problem with a hip muscle. With proper treatment, Baird could return to competition before the end of the month.

“She’ll be fine,” Martial said Wednesday. “We’ll take it one step at a time, but she should be fine relatively soon. We’ll make sure she’s 100 percent before she steps back on the track. It’s not as bad as it looked when it happened.”

Though Baird is expected to return to the track before next month’s Millrose Games, Martial says there’s no target event for Baird to get back for. The Millrose Games Trials are set for next Wednesday, but Martial believes her team has enough talent to qualify in team relay races without Baird.

So, the focus is on ensuring Baird is completely healed before anything else.

“Kadecia’s level is much higher than most in high school right now,” Martial said. “We have to make sure she’s well, make sure she’s uninjured and make sure she can perform at the highest level that she can.”

Making sure Baird is at her best for the summer is of the utmost importance since she’s expected to compete in the IAAF World Championships. Martial says Baird’s future won’t be threatened for a short-term fix in an upcoming event.

“It’s not worth destroying an athlete because of a competition,” Martial said. “(Baird) has a lot of competitions all the way through the summer. She has the World Championships this summer. The target, ultimately, is to get her ready for the World Championships. It’s not for any of the events occurring right now.”

For now, Baird will work on treating her hip and “take it one day at a time,” according to Martial. Baird won’t enjoy being sidelined, but all in all, her injury could have been worse.

“She wants to run because she knows she’s much stronger this year,” Martial said. “All together she’s going to be fine.”