Magazine Spring 2024 Olympic-bound Athlete Dashes Through Data

By Caylie Cox ’21

Since arriving at Westmont, NARINDRA RAFIDIMALALA has been an illuminator. During track and field practices, Coach Russell Smelley encourages athletes to inspire, lift up, motivate, take initiative and support the team. “An amazing team of illuminators is the best place to be when everyone is trying to break their limits every day and having fun doing it,” says Narindra, a short sprinter and jumper.

Born and raised in Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar, Narindra starting training informally with his father, a former sprinter, when he was 5. He joined his first track club at the age of 14 as the schools lacked athletic programs. Placing at the top of his nation in his age bracket for three consecutive years, he represented Madagascar at championship competitions such as the African Games Under 18 (U18). He studied engineering at a local university. In 2020, he moved to the United States and transferred to Westmont after earning an associate’s degree.

Narindra first learned about the college through Westmont alumnus Jean-Louis Ravelomanantsoa ’73, an Olympian track and field athlete from Madagascar. In addition to placing in the 100m in the 1968 Olympics, Jean-Louis holds Madagascar’s national record in the event as well as two Westmont school records. When Narindra began looking for a school to call home, he took his Catholic faith, interest in science

and talent in track and field into account. After conversing with Coach Smelley, he felt God was calling him to Westmont. “It’s a great place to grow and trengthen my faith within this strong and well-rooted Christian community,” Narindra says.

He hopes to emulate Jean-Louis as an Olympic athlete representing Madagascar and is training to qualify for the 2024 games in Paris. Last summer, he competed at the World University Games in China and the Indian Ocean Games in Madagascar and broke Westmont’s school record for the long jump with a leap of 7.50m.

“Everyone is trying to break their limits every day and having fun doing it.”

Narindra appreciates Coach Smelley’s emphasis on leadership formation. “The coaching staff value athletes as individuals,” he says. “They don’t focus only on our performances or expectations of us.”

Narindra majors in data analytics and likes its interdisciplinary approach. “Westmont has prepared me to think critically,” he says. “The professors push students to always go above and beyond their capabilities to better adapt and thrive in different circumstances. The liberal arts education offers a wide variety of knowledge in different disciplines. I enjoyed taking an art history class, which taught me a lot about past and present art structures, cultures and designs.”

In 2023, Narindra worked with CATLab, a summer program enhancing relationships in the Westmont community through technological innovation. Students gain hands-on experience improving technology solutions for the college and local businesses. He enjoyed contributing to a project related to Westmont’s move to the National Collegiate Athletics Association Division II (NCAA DII). The data he and his team created now populate dashboards so administrators and coaches can easily keep track of their teams’ performances.

After graduating, Narindra wants “to go as far as my body and mind allow me to go in sports.” He contemplates working in sports business management or the technology-energy business to give back to his community. “At Westmont, I’ve learned how wonderful a community can be when we strive to get close to each other and to know God personally,” he says. “I’ve learned so much about my peers — we’re ‘illuminators’ for one another on a regular basis.”