The buzzer goes off and Welby sets off around the track. His feet hit the ground and his arms start pumping. He and his team have just won first place in the Howard county winter festival 4x800m relay. No surprise though, since Welby and the WCHS track team are notorious for finishing in first. 

Since elementary school, Welby has been competing in track competitions. However, in the past four years, things have shifted to become more serious. 

“I started competing over COVID-19 when my first track coach asked me to help come coach and train with her and her team,” Welby said. “Since then, it’s been such a great experience of training and competing.”

Welby owes a lot to running, given the large impact that it has had on his life. 

“Over the last 6 years running has opened up new opportunities for me that have helped me grow into the person I am today,” Welby said. “Without running, I never would have met many of my closest friends or been a part of one of the most incredible communities I could ever ask for.”

One of these track and cross country teammates is Colin La, a senior at WCHS and Welby’s friend on and off the track. He, like so many others, has always known Welby as a fantastic athlete and one-of-a-kind teammate. 

“I loved watching him achieve some incredible things this season from breaking three school records to taking home two region titles,” La said. “He’s fought through some injuries in the past, so it’s really amazing to see him be able to put it all together when it matters the most. I think we’ve always seen the incredible potential given his talent, build, work ethic, and relentless mindset, so I don’t think it’s really a surprise seeing all this success.”

Both as a teammate and a friend, Welby’s encouragement stands out. He is a great example for the younger runners, not only in his work ethic and competition, but in his leadership. 

“Besides anchoring relays and being the team’s top scorer, he’s really made each guy on the team better by redefining what’s possible. He’s almost never satisfied and is always pushing towards his next goal – which has set the tone for the boys team this season and led to lots of team success as well,” La said. “I think we’ve all, especially the younger runners, benefitted from chasing after him in workouts and chasing after his records.”

This drive and motivation were the catalyst for Welby being one of the top runners on XC and track this season. This determination led him to strive towards being better, leading to a ripple effect of positivity and strength on the WCHS team. 

“My favorite memory of him is his comeback victory for our 4x800m relay early this February,” WCHS NSL teacher and XC coach Mr. Jacobson said. “He fought till the very end, and it ended up paying off.”

Fighting to the very end and giving it everything has always been Welby’s motto when it comes to running. He hopes to share this with all the younger runners, through his leadership and by example. 

“The lesson I learned from running is there is truly no limit that cannot be broken,” Welby said. “Seeing the joy in someone’s eyes after achieving something that felt impossible during the race is a testament to their grit and hard work to break through the limit of how fast they thought they could go.”