Netanel Dorothea, Madonna University

Welcome back to the Red Banner Race Report Podcast, featuring sprinter Netanel Dorothea.  His performance at the 2026 NAIA Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championships (held March 5–7 in Gainesville, Florida) was a career-defining weekend. He was the only male athlete to win two individual titles, which earned him the NAIA Most Valuable Performer (MVP). Dorothea is one of the few athletes to achieve the indoor sprint double (winning both the 200m and 400m at the same national meet).

His indoor personal best of 46.69 in the 400 meters is faster than almost every national champion in the last decade, placing him solidly in the top 10 all-time for NAIA indoor 400m sprinters.

In the 200, Dorothea has shown incredible range across both indoor and outdoor seasons. His indoor PB of 20.75 (2025) is an extremely rare sub-21-second mark for the NAIA, and he is consistently within a tenth of a second of the fastest times ever recorded in the association's outdoor history: ONLY eight runners in NAIA history have gone sub-21 indoors.

In this episode, we’ll get to know this incredibly fast and friendly athlete who hails from the Netherlands, but currently calls Madonna University in Michigan home. 

Thank you so much for tuning into The Red Banner Race Report.  I can’t wait to feature more cross country and track and field athletes from the NAIA…stay tuned because it might just be YOU!  

If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please share, subscribe, and leave a review.  You can find The Red Banner Race Report Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and other major media players.  You can also ask Alexa to play the podcast.  

If you have an idea for a great topic or guest you’d like to hear about, feel free to contact me through the show notes or reach out on Instagram.

Follow RBRR on Instagram @redbannerracereport

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Welcome back to the Red Banner Race Report Podcast, featuring sprinter Nathanel Dorotea. His performance at the 2026 NAI Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships was a career-defining weekend. He was the only male athlete to win two individual running titles, which earned him the NAI MVP. Dorotea is one of the few athletes to achieve the indoor sprint double by winning both the 200 and 400 at the same national leader. His indoor personal bust of 46.69 in the 400 meters is faster than almost every national champion in the last decade, placing him solidly at the top 5 to 10 all time for NAI indoor 400 meter sprinters. In the 200 meters, Dorotea has shown incredible range across both indoor and outdoor marks. His indoor personal bust of 20.75 is an extremely rare sub-21-second mark for the NAIA, and he is consistently within a tenth of a second of the fastest times ever recorded in the association's outdoor history. Only eight runners have ever gone sub-21 indoors. In this episode, we'll get to know this incredibly fast and friendly athlete who hails from the Netherlands, but currently calls Madonna University in Michigan home.

SPEAKER_01 1:19

Thanks, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 1:21

Yeah, well, let's hear about you. Tell us about yourself, where you're from, and how you first got involved in the sport of track and field.

SPEAKER_01 1:32

Yeah, so uh yeah, I'm Nathan No. I'm a student athlete at Madonna University. And um Yeah, so how I how I started this sport doing this running track is um actually it was at the age of 16. Um I wanted to start um playing soccer. Um however when I tried to apply for a team back back in the Netherlands, because that's where I'm from, um I had to wait till the next season because the season was ongoing. So when I so during that during that time of waiting, I actually I really wanted to do a sport. So um yeah, I I started I started playing games actually, and there was this game, it was uh I forgot the name, it was um I think something something with the Olympics, and they had a and in a game you could like do track events. So uh that's that's basically what sparked my interest in the sport, and that's what uh and that's when I looked up um some track clubs nearby, and that's actually how I started running track.

SPEAKER_00 2:46

How did you end up in Michigan at Madonna?

SPEAKER_01 2:49

Um well it was actually this company, they reached out to me uh through an Instagram uh asking if I wanted to um run track and um uh be in college like in the US. And uh yeah, I mean that that that's what I wanted to do. And so um uh we we started looking for coaches that were like schools that were interested in me, and very very quickly I came in contact with Madonna and the coach here, and that's how and everything clicked, so that's how I got here.

SPEAKER_00 3:27

Well, um, what are you studying and what do you hope to do once you graduate?

SPEAKER_01 3:32

Um I'm currently studying computer science and I hope to become a software engineer, although I don't know if like after I graduate I want to continue doing the sports or want to like focus on more like software engineering career or do a uh a combination of them.

SPEAKER_00 3:53

Well, time will tell, right? Who knows what will happen in the future? You've got a lot a lot of good things going for you right now. Well, as an international student, what was the biggest challenge when you moved to the United States? What did it take a lot of adjusting to get used to?

SPEAKER_03 4:11

Um that's a good question.

SPEAKER_01 4:15

Because because the the thing is like where I'm from, uh it's it's not a it's it's very similar. A lot of things are similar. Um, however, the the city that I'm currently in, we have no uh public transportation. I think that's the biggest uh adjustment I had to make. Like it it it people are really dependent on their cars here, whereas where I'm from, you can just go everything uh by with a um with a bicycle or just even walking.

SPEAKER_00 4:45

Yeah, that's true for a lot of the United States. We don't have a mass transportation system. And did it strike you as strange that people will drive very short distances when they could ride their bicycle instead?

SPEAKER_01 4:58

Yes, yes. Also, also also the fact that people can I think people can start driving from the age of 14, if I'm not mistaken.

SPEAKER_00 5:06

Well, you can you can start taking driver's ed at age 14 and nine months and then get your permit once you complete the course. But you can't drive alone until you're you know graduated from driver's ed and you have to be 16. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01 5:21

Yeah. Yeah, so that's the thing. Like having a car is at least from what I from my perspective, it seems like having a car is so normal here. As in where where I'm from, it's having a car is almost like a luxury. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:37

Well, I personally enjoy walking or riding my bike to places around where I live that I can reach quickly. And people find that strange that I don't want to drive. And I think that that's weird that they do.

SPEAKER_01 5:50

Yeah, to me, to me, it's normal.

SPEAKER_00 5:52

Right. Right. Uh well, what do you think about the weather in Michigan?

SPEAKER_01 5:57

Uh it's it's almost the same as where I'm from. Uh the weather's really it's really fluctuating. Like one day it's like really warm and the other day it's like really cold. Like it was it was just snowing just now. Uh, but like a couple of days ago, so you you could literally walk with a shirt outside.

SPEAKER_00 6:16

So it's like well, um, I'm gonna give away a little bit about myself. I also live in Michigan and I only live about an hour from where you do. So yeah, I can relate to the weather, but I always like to ask what it's like somewhere else. Um now I'm assuming you speak Dutch, correct?

SPEAKER_01 6:34

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 6:35

And English. Do you speak any other languages?

SPEAKER_01 6:38

Um no. No, I wish I did, but no.

SPEAKER_00 6:42

Well, I mean, being bilingual is pretty impressive already. So well, let's talk about your racing because at the recent indoor national meet, um, you did a pretty rare double. You won the 200 meters and the 400 meters. So, talk about how you are able to recover between those really intense sprint events and be able to come back and perform at such a high level. So, how do you keep your legs fresh? What do you do to recover? What works really well for you?

SPEAKER_01 7:14

Uh well yes, in indeed, like doing the the 400 and 200 is pretty intense. I was actually supposed to run the 4x4 as well. Um, unfortunately, we didn't make it to the finals, so I didn't run the four by four, but um uh no, it's it's it's pretty intense. Uh I think it it's it's hard to say like what to do to keep the legs fresh. I think honestly, it's it's just a mindset thing because you are going to feel the burn regardless. Your your legs are going to be tight regardless. And I mean there was there was still like some time in between the events so you could take some rest. Um but yeah, honest honestly, it's it's just don't do too much in between events, like uh like rest rest your legs while they while you can and make sure you make sure you get them ready for the next event. That that's that's the thing.

SPEAKER_00 8:13

Well, you've got incredible range in the sprint events. Um if you had to pick an event that you feel really defines you or maybe is your favorite, or maybe you think you have the most uh area left to improve, what would it be?

SPEAKER_01 8:29

Um so I I think the the the event that defines me is is the 200. I think the event where I can improve the most are honestly, I think all sprint events like from 400 to and and and below. So the 100, 200, and the 400. I think they all can uh I can I can I think I can improve in all of them. Uh so it's it's it's really hard to pick one specifically, but I think the 200 defines me the most. Like I would say I'm a 200-meter sprinter.

SPEAKER_00 9:06

Okay. Well, your personal best put you in the top tier of NAI history in both of them. Um you know, you're coming close to a lot of the records and a lot of different meets and the national record and um obviously being national champion. So do you have a specific time or a goal that you're looking for in the outdoor season?

SPEAKER_01 9:28

Um, I don't have a specific time, although I wish to break some records for sure. Yeah, so so sp definite and and specifically the uh the the 200-meter record is what I really want to break. But yeah, I I think I think I would I don't have a specific time, but I would definitely I definitely want to break some records, yes, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_00 9:51

Yeah. I'm assuming you have your school records, yes?

SPEAKER_01 9:55

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 9:56

Okay, I was gonna guess that. Uh well Madonna University has kind of become a sprint powerhouse in the last couple of years in the NAIA. Um, you had another runner place fifth in the 400. Uh, Charity Jones won the women's 400, she was fifth in the 200. So, what do you feel it is about the environment at Madonna that seems to be helping sprinters produce these really top national times?

SPEAKER_01 10:24

I think so one thing I noticed is that a lot of sprinters here are very determined and so we really push each other. So um okay, let's okay, let's take an example. The dude that that was fifth, we can we really sharpen each other, but uh not just him, not just uh him, but like the whole team. Like we really sharpen each other uh on aspects where we are so-called weak. So for instance, uh when we have to do five reps of of let's say 200, I'll get tired after the third one, but we have other people that would that would still be that will still have a lot of energy left. So they uh they will keep that same energy for every rep. And that really pushes me again to go like go all out. So I think I think I think that's what really is what's really helping us uh become stronger and faster.

SPEAKER_00 11:22

Yeah, definitely. Iron sharpens iron, so the same goes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

Well, with your current times, uh, you know, you're kind of knocking on the door of the Dutch national team standards. So is there a goal in your mind that you would like to represent your country at the championships or the Olympics while you're still running at Madonna?

SPEAKER_01 11:43

Uh yes, definitely. Um, I want to I wish to uh qualify like in the for individual events. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:54

Well, if you had to pick, would you like to do the 200 or the 400?

SPEAKER_01 12:01

The 200.

SPEAKER_00 12:02

Okay, I know you said that. Well, I'm gonna tell you my perspective. Obviously, you're very, very talented and fast in both. When I watched you run at Nationals, I was there. Um, there are not many 400 runners that get faster at the end. And you seem to do that because when I watched you, it was probably the second lap on the back stretch. So I guess what, like the last 100 meters. It looked like you were shot out of a cannon. You just came barreling around, and I turned to my husband, I said, Have you ever seen someone speed up at the end of a 400 like that? And he goes, No, that was incredible.

SPEAKER_01 12:42

Yeah, no, so so I think the the thing was um I was supposed to run my first 200 meter split in a 21.6.

SPEAKER_02 12:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 12:52

And I was so nervous, I didn't do that at all. I split a whole second slower, and so I had a lot of energy left towards it and that's that's why.

SPEAKER_00 13:03

Well, that makes sense. I was just wondering if also you were like, Oh, I need to go faster.

SPEAKER_01 13:08

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was really nervous, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:14

Right. Well, what works for you to help you deal with you know feeling nervous or feeling anxious? I think a lot of runners feel that way. Um, so what helps you calm down or what helps you focus? Do you use music? Do you use you know meditation? What works?

SPEAKER_01 13:31

See, that's what I'm figuring out too. I don't I actually don't know. Like at this point, it's just when I have to go, I just go. I I really don't know because yes, definitely before the race, I'm I'm very nervous. I can feel my body like shaking, everything is everything is tense. But the thing is like when when that gun goes off, you you just gotta go. That's that's the only thing.

SPEAKER_00 13:56

Well, I will say you don't look nervous if that makes you feel better.

SPEAKER_01 14:00

Oh, I know I'm definitely nervous, definitely, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:03

Um, I think that's very normal. I think most people feel that way. Um, and you know, a little nervousness is good because it maybe gives you some adrenaline and fuels you. Um yeah, figuring out what works. Uh, I used to tell one of the athletes that ran um at the on the team that my husband coaches, um, she used to kind of get this face like, oh, you know, I don't want to do this. And we used to tell her, it's gonna hurt no matter if you win or not. So if you're gonna be in pain anyway, you might as well win.

SPEAKER_02 14:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:36

So that worked for her. All right. Well, tell us a little bit about you. What's your favorite snack?

SPEAKER_01 14:45

I was I was thinking, but I don't know. Um, I I would say anything that has to do with chocolate.

SPEAKER_00 14:52

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 14:53

Yeah, yeah. I think chocolate is definitely my top, my not my favorite snack, definitely.

SPEAKER_00 14:58

Yes, I love chocolate as well. Um, is there a snack or a treat that you have discovered in the United States or in Michigan that you had never had prior to coming here?

SPEAKER_01 15:09

Yes, it's it's Whoppers. Yeah, so every everyone thinks I'm crazy for that, but honestly, I really like Whoppers. Those are I I think those are really good.

SPEAKER_00 15:19

Well, whatever works. Hey, I make no judgments. You're the one eating them, so you can you can pick what you like. Uh, do you have a favorite genre of music that you enjoy?

SPEAKER_01 15:31

Yes, I would say RB. Definitely. So I if I if I had to make make a list for my my top um genres, it would definitely be RB, soul, jazz, and hip hop.

SPEAKER_00 15:45

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 15:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:46

So would that be American or Dutch?

SPEAKER_01 15:50

Definitely American. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Gotcha.

SPEAKER_00 15:54

Uh now, do you have a favorite running technology like a Garmin watch or you know, a heart rate monitor, or a favorite tool that you like, like a foam roller or NormaTech boots or something like that? Like what running technology do you use or enjoy that helps you improve?

SPEAKER_01 16:15

Crazy thing is, I don't use any of those things. Um I I mean I do use a lacrosse ball sometimes to massage my like my my muscles. Uh, but that's really it.

SPEAKER_00 16:28

Okay. So you're low tech?

SPEAKER_01 16:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:32

Yeah. Old school. Hey, if it works, use it. Um, do you have a favorite professional athlete?

SPEAKER_01 16:39

No, I I would say myself, but I'm not professional yet.

SPEAKER_00 16:42

Well, I mean, you're close, right?

unknown 16:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:46

So I have to ask, for me, the hardest part of living in Michigan is the continuous gray sky. I can handle cold and snow, but it is not sunny very much during the winter. So, what is the hardest part of living in Michigan for you?

SPEAKER_01 17:03

I think it's that part. Because I and I and I noticed specifically when uh we went to Florida for nationals. My whole mood changed when when I got off the plane in uh I think we we landed in Orlando or no, no, Fort Lauderdale, and it was so sunny outside, and I I could literally feel my mood shift from being sad to like really happy. So I think I think that's definitely uh one of the biggest struggles I'm having in uh Michigan. Yeah. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 17:37

Well, you know, seasonal affective depression disorder is a real thing, and there are people who have to go somewhere sunny just to have you know stable mental health, and that's a real a real aspect of not enough sunshine.

SPEAKER_02 17:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:53

Um, yeah, I we went to Florida as well to watch the meet, and I I I definitely feel like everyone's happy here because it's sunny and it feels good outside.

SPEAKER_02 18:04

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 18:04

Yeah, yeah, I get it. Uh well, what is one unknown or interesting fact about you that people may not guess that you haven't already told us?

SPEAKER_03 18:18

That's a good one. Yeah, something unique about you that we may not know.

SPEAKER_01 18:24

Um I would say one thing, one thing a lot of people don't know is that uh I was born in uh in Curaçao. And you might wonder what is that? So I guess I was gonna wait. Yeah, so cura so curaca is this a small island in the Caribbean right above Venezuela.

SPEAKER_00 18:54

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 18:55

Yeah. So I mean that's that's a thing that a lot of people don't know. People assume that um because I live in the Netherlands, that I was born there and that I'm from there, but that's not true.

SPEAKER_00 19:07

Have you ever been able to go back and visit your home country?

SPEAKER_01 19:11

Yeah, yeah, I'm going this December.

SPEAKER_00 19:13

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 19:13

Upcoming December, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:15

Okay. So what's the first thing that you enjoy when you return back home?

SPEAKER_01 19:20

Um are we talking about careers or the Netherlands?

SPEAKER_00 19:23

Well, you can talk about either, whichever you enjoy, or both. That'd be cool.

SPEAKER_01 19:27

Yeah, so curious is definitely the weather and my family. Uh, because curious is not a place I visit a lot, so um, whenever I get the chance, I'm I'm really taking my time to like really spend time with my family. Um, and in the Netherlands it's it's actually similar. Um I'm going back in the summer, so I expect the weather to be like nice and definitely friends to see my friends and uh family as well. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:55

Yeah, definitely. That and that makes a big difference. Have they been able to come to the United States and visit you or no?

SPEAKER_01 20:02

No. Okay. No.

SPEAKER_00 20:05

Well, do they get to watch you race online? Are they able to see you?

SPEAKER_01 20:09

Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely. I'll send them, I'll send them the link and then they can just uh watch me race. Yeah. That is and then even and even and even so I'll send them um and if they if they're not making it, I'll send them videos. I record our screen recording and send the videos.

SPEAKER_00 20:24

Yeah, that's the great thing about technology. If you're far away, you can still check out a meet. So I wish that had existed when I was running, but hadn't been invented yet. I'm too old. Well, it has been great to chat with you. Uh I have to ask, are you going to do the two four double outdoors?

SPEAKER_01 20:46

Most likely, yes. Yes, yes. I'll probably have to do the four or two and the four by four. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:54

Okay. So two relays as well.

SPEAKER_01 20:57

Um I hope I just have to run the finals and not the prelims.

SPEAKER_00 21:01

Okay. Yeah, that would make sense. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:04

Because last year, last year, um, I did the same thing, and I ran the I ran the prelims, and by the time we got to the finals, I was extremely tired. So I really hope I can save some energy for the finals.

SPEAKER_00 21:16

Right. Well, you've got quite a speedy crew behind you, so you could probably mix and match some teammates and do all right there.

SPEAKER_01 21:23

Yes, definitely. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:26

Wow, it will be interesting to see what happens next. And the good news is outdoor nationals is also hopefully going to be sunny and warm. So, uh, maybe a little warmer than Indiana last year at that time of the year. But yeah, it'll be awesome to see what you do, and thank you so much for taking time out of your night to chat with me.

SPEAKER_01 21:46

All right, yeah. Thanks for having me for sure.

SPEAKER_00 21:49

Thanks so much for tuning in to the Red Banner Race Report. I can't wait to feature more cross-country and track and field athletes from the NAIA. So stay tuned because it just might be you. If you enjoyed today's podcast, please share, subscribe, and leave a review. You can find the Red Banner Race Report podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and other major media players. You can also ask your smart speaker to play the podcast. If you have an idea for a great topic or guest you'd like to hear about, feel free to contact me through the show notes or reach out on Instagram.