...I liked the pretty campus and the small community type of feeling to it and the 3-2 program for engineering.
Name: Joaquim Bila
Class year: 2026
Major: Biomedical engineering
Why did you choose Ohio Wesleyan?
I liked the pretty campus and the small community type of feeling to it and the 3-2 program for engineering.
Why did you choose your major?
I acquired a love for science my sophomore year of high school, but I also enjoyed doing math so the major was very fitting of my interests in both fields.
Why did you choose to compete in sports at Ohio Wesleyan?
I had a strong passion for track and field, and when given the opportunity to continue my career at Ohio Wesleyan I could not deny it. More importantly, I enjoyed being coached by the coaching staff and really liked the energy and atmosphere of the team.
Which is your favorite event?
I really enjoy the 200-meter dash and a close second is long jump.
Do you have any pre-event rituals or superstitions?
I have a little ritual before getting into the blocks, which consists of a jump knee tuck followed by an A-skip, then I back crawl into my blocks. I also have a pre-jump ritual for long jump.
Why do you like your event(s)?
I enjoy being a sprinter and jumper because there is really nothing else like it. The feeling when sprinting at top speed is a sort of floating sensation that is not comparable to any other sport I've played. Then when jumping, it's the same floating sensation but ending with a graceful flight into a sand pit and going about 20 feet from the place I jump. No feeling really replicates it.
What are your strengths as an athlete (as an individual)?
I would say I am a very coachable athlete that takes criticism very well and does what is needed to perfect my flaws, and I would also say I strive to be the best athlete I can be while also helping and encouraging my teammates to do the same.
What is your number one goal, personal or team, for this season?
My number one goal this season is to be able to compete at the national meet this year with my teammates, especially on a relay. It's one thing to compete at a national level by myself but it's 10 times the experience having my teammates alongside me.
What event/sport other than your own would you like to try?
If I have to pick another sport to try here at Ohio Wesleyan it would most likely be football because I have not played since the summer after my 8th grade year.
What is your favorite place to eat in Delaware, and what is your go-to dish there?
My favorite place to eat in Delaware is Typhoon Asian Fusion Bistro and I usually get a dish of orange chicken and rice.
Which three people, living or dead, would you like to share a meal with?
Jesus Christ, Aristotle, and Bill Nye the Science Guy.
If you could visit another time, when would it be and why?
If I could visit any time, I would most likely visit around 490 BC because it was during ancient Greece and I feel like it would be a very interesting place and time to be around.
What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a student-athlete?
My best advice is to pick a sport that you're very passionate about and that you're willing to give 100 percent to. Without the passion for the sport, it becomes very dull and repetitive but if there is a passion for it every single moment will become lifelong memories.
What is your favorite book and why?
My favorite book is called "Dark Life" by Kat Falls, because it's a tale of people who change and acquire differences both willing and unwilling but within both their is love and understanding for the person before and after.
