Jordan Hasay's first international experience was, well, quite an experience for
her.
At Ostrava, Czech Republic, she made some history, for starters. Hasay was
the first United States girl (also the first North American one) to medal at a
World Youth or World Juniors track and field championship. Hasay took the silver
at the IAAF World Youth Championships, finishing second to Kenyan Sammary
Cherotich in the girls 1,500 meter run. Cherotich ran 4:15.74 to Hasay's 4:17.24
on the track at Vitkovice Arena last Friday.
That meant Hasay earned a spot on the awards podium at an international
event. “I stood up there and the Kenyan anthem was played. Standing up there
in that stadium - it was really cool. It was a lot of fun,” the 15-year-old
Arroyo Grande resident and Mission Prep junior-to-be said in a phone interview
Wednesday.
She's honored by her spot in history. U.S. female distance running luminaries
such as Suzy Favor Hamilton and Lynn Jennings never medaled in a world youth
meet.
Best of all, though, “I got to know everyone on the U.S. team really well,”
Hasay said. “We were kind of like one big family. That was the best part of
the whole experience.
“It was sad when we had to say bye to everyone on the last day.”
Here's a summary of some of what Hasay experienced on her first trip
overseas.
The race
Hasay got an introduction to team tactics the Kenyans have been noted for in
international distance races.
She got the fast pace she wanted - 2:16.8 at the 800 meter mark. She'd hoped,
however, that she would not be the one setting that pace. Hasay wanted Cherotich
and her teammate Sheila Chipkirui Kiprotich to lead.
As it turned out, Hasay figured she had no choice but to move to the front.
“I drew lane one at the start, which was not good,” she said. In fact, as
far as being boxed in, starting in lane one can be a distance runner's worst
nightmare.
“On the first lap, (Cherotich) passed me, and she gave (Chipkirui Kiprotich)
a little hand motion (for her) to box me in,” said Hasay. “I knew it was
going to happen, but I couldn't do anything about it. I just tried to stay
relaxed.
“I had to slow down a little bit,“ and Hasay knew she had get out of that
box. So, “I just went around them.”
She added, “In the prelims I was boxed in really bad, and I didn't want it
to happen during the finals. Luckily, it didn't happen too badly.” Cherotich
passed Hasay for good at 1,200 meters, but Hasay broke away from Chepkirui
Kiprotich, who set the meet record at 4:12.29 in Marrakech, Morocco in 2005, to
secure the silver medal. Chepkirui Kiprotich finished third for bronze
Considering everything - her second-place finish, her place in history and
her time, which was just off her personal best of 4:16.98, “I'd give my result
a nine,” on a scale of one to 10, 10 being best, said Hasay.
Cherotich ran a personal best for the second straight time - counting her
heat race - to win. “I saw her in the prelims, and she was fighting the
Ethiopian (eventual finals fifth-place finisher Bertukan Feyisa),” said Hasay.
“The pace for the first 800 was 2:18, which was really fast for a prelim.
“She had a really good kick in the prelims, and she had a nice kick in the
final.
“I tried to have a really specific strategy, but the race really didn't end
up being according to my strategy at all,” Hasay said. Still, she was good
enough for silver - and to make a big mark on the international scene.
“It's really different racing internationally,” Hasay said. “You don't
know anything about the girls or how they race like you do (in the U.S.), and
they're all very good.”
The language barrier
“The language barrier was really bad,” Hasay said with a chuckle. “But
we had a translator who went around with us - she could speak Czech and French,
so I was able to communicate with athletes from those countries. The Kenyan
athletes knew a little bit of English, so I got to speak with them a little bit.”
The cuisine
“The food wasn't that great,” Hasay said with a laugh. “It was
cafeteria food, basically. I understand that they had to serve 1,500 athletes.
“Luckily there was a grocery store that we found. The team went there every
day and brought food back to our doom. There was a pizza place there and it must
have been the best pizza we ever had in our lives, considering we hadn't had
good food the past several days.”
International racing in the future? Track yes, cross country, no
She qualified for the World Junior National Cross Country Championships by
winning the 2007 Junior Nationals. But the national race took place in February
- Hasay's track training time. Hasay scrapped her travel plans for the Junior
Worlds in Kenya anyway because of a terrorist threat looming over the event.
“I will stick to track for international racing and try to qualify for the
World Juniors in Poland (for 2008),” Hasay said. “During cross country, I'll
focus on Foot Locker and then having a real track season.”
Hasay won the 2005 Foot Locker national title. Dogged by pre-race nerves, she
had an off day at the Foot Locker nationals last year and finished 10th, though
she was still a cross country All-American. The Foot Locker national meet
culminates the prep cross country season.
Home sweet home
Hasay has no more racing scheduled until the start of the prep cross country
season. That's fine with her.
“I'm really tired from traveling, with the (nine-hour) time difference,”
she said. “I have some jet lag.”
All in all, though, her international debut “was a very good experience,”
Hasay said.
July 19, 2007
