Baby, you must be tired, 'cause you've been running through my mind all day.

After her first two years at Yale, which Yetsa describes as "humbling," she has developed into one of the most accomplished performers in the history of the Bulldog track team. Yetsa currently holds individual school records in the indoor long jump (20' 3"), the indoor triple jump (39 6-3/4"), and the outdoor triple jump (41' 5-1/4"). She also was a part of the record-breaking 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams.

REBECCA ROSENTHAL/YH

Yetsa was getting ready to depart for North Carolina to compete in the prestigious Raleigh Relays, but gladly made time to talk with me. I ask Yetsa about her name, and it turns out there is more to it than meets the eye. Her full name is Yetsa Kehinde Vanessa Adebodunde Olubunmi Tuakli-Wosornu. The daughter of a Nigerian mother and a Ghanaian father, Yetsa was born in England and moved to Boston as a young girl.

We move on to juicier topics. "Boyfriend?" I ask. Yetsa giggles. "I take issue with the institution of boyfriends—I just think I'm not compatible with that many people." I ask her if she gets hit on a lot. "Not really at Yale," she says, "but I work at the YMCA on Howe Street and a lot of the kids don't believe I'm a senior in college. They all call me `Shorty' and want to take me out!"

This beauty's got serious brains to go along with her athletic talent. As an African Studies major, Yetsa also completed her pre-med requirements and plans to attend Harvard Medical School. She also earned the prestigious Mellon Fellowship after her sophomore year to fund independent research. Yetsa also had enough time to found Steppin' Out and the African dance group Konjo. Does she like to dance more informally? "I went to Toad's once, but the music was just all right," she said.

Yetsa's twin sister, Eyi, lives right below her in TD. "I do everything with my sister," she says. "If a guy doesn't get along with Eyi, he's not for me."

—Ben Reiter

See:

• The dark side of Murawczyk; kicker reveals how to hit it between the posts., By Katie Cole
• Biceps of gold, By Missy Blakeley
• Wild Thang, By Joey Ax

Back to Sports...