On Tap with ... Jim Behot

Senior sprinter Jim Behot of the men’s track and field team confessed that he has been injured for most of his Princeton career.After a host of hamstring strains and a new hip injury this fall, he said he is ready to come back in full force for the team’s next meet against Navy on Jan. 8. He has been rehabilitating his hip and hopes to compete for the rest of the year. When he returns, he will run the 60m, 200m and 300m races. Behot will add to an extremely powerful men’s track and field team that showcased its talents with a series of victories at Saturday’s New Year’s Invitational.

Q: What was your “welcome to college” moment?

A: Freshman year, a bunch of the upperclassmen on the team pulled this prank and stole all the clothes out of my room. It was a huge thing to try and track down all my clothes. That is when I realized I was at the bottom of the totem pole again.

Q: What is the greatest highlight of your sports career?

A: Jokingly, I would say never getting injured and pulling my hamstring three times. Seriously, definitely winning Heptagonals in last year’s winter season. I was injured, but I went up to watch. It was a really special meet for us.

Q: Who is your quirkiest teammate?

A: Freshman jumper Damon McLean. He, at practice and around campus, is normally found singing or talking to himself. We all thought it was because he is Jamaican, but we found out recently that even Jamaicans find it weird.

Q: What is the best part about being an athlete on campus?

A: Not being a muggle.Q: What is the worst part about being an athlete on campus?A: Nothing.

Q: What is your least favorite thing about track?

A: Probably that we have two seasons. It maximizes the amount of time I have to hurt myself.

Q: If you were your coach for a day, what would you do?

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A: I would probably go to coach Marc Anderson’s house in Florida. He spends a lot of time there. It sounds really nice, but I would not know because he has never invited me.

Q: Does the team have any odd rituals?

A: In the fall, all the freshmen have to fight a live tiger bare-handed, and those who survive are allowed to be on the team. It is like the scene in “300” with the wolf but way sweeter.

Q: What is your favorite thing to do when you are not practicing?

A: This is not a joke. I do a lot of creative writing. I am, however, too afraid to take any creative writing classes here, because everyone else is way better than me.

Q: What music inspires you?

A: I listen to a lot of country music, although nothing inspires me more than Kesha.

Q: What is the best part about playing a sport that has an individual aspect and a group aspect?

A: I think having the individual aspect lets you work on your own development and focus on yourself, but having the team is the best part of the experience. We still have the team dynamic while being able to also focus on our own development.

Q: Would you be a good candidate for the Princeton reality TV show?

A: My personal motto is, “If Flavor Flav can do it, then so can I.” Therefore, I can only assume I would be good.

Q: If you were to pick another event in track, what would it be?