Published: June 28, 2008 10:11 pm            

O-State track recruit honored

German Fernandez is not a good long distance runner.

The Riverbank, Calif. native, who has inked his letter of intent to run at Oklahoma State this fall, is a great long distance runner.

“Without a doubt, he is the best track athlete to ever come to OSU,” said OSU coach Dave Smith.

Fernandez was recently named the 2007-2008 Gatorade National Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year, which recognizes not only athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and character on and off the track. While this award is an honor for Fernandez, Smith already knew how good he is.

“That (winning the Gatorade award) really does nothing to increase what I thought of him,” Smith said. “He is absolutely unbelievable.”

Smith’s comments are not unwarranted. As a high school senior, Fernandez finished the 2008 outdoor season ranked No. 1 in both the 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters among prep competitors nationwide.

At the California Interscholastic Federation State Track and Field Championships, Fernandez had a busy, and successful day. His performance in the 1,600 meters (4:00.29) broke the California Interscholastic Federation state meet record (4:02.62), set by 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Men’s Marathon champion Ryan Hall in 2001.

Just two hours later, Fernandez was at it again, setting another record in the 3,200 meter event. The old National Federation of High School Athletic Associations record (8:41.10) set in 2000 by Dathan Ritzenhein, the runner-up in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Men’s Marathon, is no longer on top.

Fernandez shattered the record with an 8:34.23 finish, which also broke a hand-timed CIF state meet record (8:44.9) set in 1975.

With a plethora of state and national records on his resume, coupled with a 3.25 grade point average, Smith couldn’t be more excited about what Fernandez will bring to his 2008-2009 team.

“We’ve arrived,” Smith said. “If you can sign a guy like that, there’s no reason that you wouldn’t consider OSU.”

Fernandez is now a finalist for the Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year award, to be presented at a special ceremony prior to The Espy Awards on July 20.

        

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