You can call her “Destiny’s Child”, but the label would be inaccurate. High school phenom Jordan Hasay understands that he’s going to have to work his way up to greatness, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Hasay attends Mission College Preparatory Catholic High School (better known as Mission Prep in the running community) in San Luis Obispo, California.
He has been setting national running records since he was 12 years old, when he set the US age group 3000 meter record (1.86 miles) by running 9:48.77. A year later he would break the 1,500m mark with a time of 4:28.61 and the 3,000m mark with an effort of 9:35.12.
At 14, he would break records for 1,500, 3,000 and 3,200 meters; at 15, the 1500, 1600, 3000 and 3200-Meters; And last year, as a junior, he posted a meet record of 9:52.13 to win his third consecutive state title in the 3,200 meters, another national age-group record that goes with his 3,000-meter record of 9: 19.6. Her victory at the 3,200-meter state championship was the second-fastest time by a high school girl.
Did I mention that you ran in the US Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon when you were 16? On the historic remodeled track of Hayward Field (the playground of Pre, the great Steve Prefontaine of the University of Oregon), Hasay set another age-group and high school national record by running 4:14.50 in a semifinal series of 1500 meters.
Hasay’s exploits also extended to cross country. She capped the start of her senior year by winning her 4th straight California High School Division V title, tying Sara (nee Bei) Hall’s record of 4 straight titles.
She went on to capture her fourth consecutive Foot Locker West Regional title, becoming the first athlete to do so. She won the prestigious Foot Locker cross country national championship for the second time, covering the 5,000-meter (3.1 mi) course in 17:22.
Last year, Hasay was named the 2008 USA Track and Field Junior Athlete of the Year, and also athletics news named Hasay its 2008 Female High School Athlete of the Year.
Hasay isn’t the only grooming phenom the United States has produced. Jim Ryan and Mary Decker Slaney were world leaders on the day. Alan Webb had the moment of greatness from him. There are many others.
Hasay’s waist-length blonde hair makes it easy to spot her as she runs in a pack. The entire athletic community is eagerly awaiting her performance this spring, wondering how much she can shave off her times.
Jordan Hasay is pretty savvy about her future. “My goal is not to be remembered as the best high school runner of all time,” Hasay said in a recent interview, “but as one of the best distance runners in America in the future.” And oh my, that future shines bright.
Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley