Mission College to Oregon University - Jordan Hasay

by Chris Wainwright

On the 31st July, 2004 a future star of the track was born. Standing at only 5 feet tall, Jordan Hasay ran an amazing 9:48.77 over 3000m at the US Junior Olympics in Eugene, Oregon and in the process showed the world of track and field that one day she would be a star of the sport. So what's happened in the life of Hasay since that magical run in Oregon? Well she's grown another four inches and has also been to a World Youth Championships (2007) and World Junior Championships (2008). Added to this was the fact that she made the final of the women's 1500m at the 2008 US Olympic Trials and in the process broke the US High School record, running 4:14.50 in her semi final.

So is Hasay really the next big thing in the world of middle distance running? Well Track and Field News had her on the cover of their March edition this year and considering that they usually have the likes of Usain Bolt and Jeremy Wariner on their cover it was a rare honour indeed. The title, "Prep Phenom Jordan Hasay", also says a lot about how the US track and field community rate Hasay's performances over the past five years. They simply see her as a junior star, who should one day become one of the best US track athletes ever to wear the red, blue and white. Ok, that's where it becomes interesting. Will Hasay become that champion, and do her junior results really suggest that she will one day join the likes of Suzy Favor-Hamilton and Mary Decker-Slaney as one of America's best ever female middle distance runners? Well we take a look at why she will become a champion and why she could end up being just another very talented junior track star.

Does Hasay's Times Really Hit the Mark?

There is certainly no doubt about the fact that she has broken numerous records as a high school athlete, including her 1500m US High School record of 4:14.50. Although based purely on times I don't think you could get too carried away with what she has achieved. On top of her US High School record in the 1500m, Hasay has run a 4:42.21 mile (coverts to around 4:21 for the 1500m), a 9:19.6h 3000m - on her way to a 9:52.13 for the 3200m, and a 10:07.65 over 2 miles. She has also run a personal best of 2.09.92 for the 800m, but we would expect that to be much faster if she was given the chance. So how do these times compare to two other junior stars, Australia's Georgie Clarke, who back in 2000 ran at the Sydney Olympics in the women's 1500m as a 16 year-old and Stephanie Twell (pictured above), who also competed at the Olympics as a teenager (she was 19 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics)? Below is a table comparing the three athletes, from ages 15 through to 18 (* based on her 4:42 mile effort - estimate only)

Clarke also recorded a 9:01.7h 3000m as a 16 year-old (versus Hasay's best of 9:19.6h) and she also had a far superior 800m time of 2:01.73 at the same age. So what does this really mean, especially considering an athlete such as Clarke have never gone on and run any faster in their careers? Well the point is that Hasay's times recorded as a junior need to be put into perspective. Although she has recorded some excellent times over the past three years, it would be safe to say that she hasn't reshaped the world ranking lists. It is also a fact that she doesn't hold the title of World Champion (placing 2nd at the World Youth Championships in 2007 and 4th at the World Junior Championships in 2008 - although she did have to run less than a week after her 10th placing at the US Olympic trials, reducing her chances for success at the Championships. Interesting to note however that it was the best placing in the 1500m by an American female at the World Juniors).

Hasay will get the chance to become a World Junior champion in 2010, if she makes the trip to Canada, and by then she could have broken the 4:10 mark for the 1500m - a quality performance by any junior female 1500m athlete. It is interesting to see that an athlete such as Twell from Great Britain, the 2008 World Junior 1500m champion and prospective rival for Hasay in the future, has since run a 4:03.62 in 2009(7 June) and has also run a personal best of 8:50.89 over 3000m (when finishing 7th at the 2008 World Athletics final). Twell, the 2008 Olympian and next big hope in middle distance running in Britain, also finished off her junior career with an impressive 4:05.83 in the 1500m. If Hasay can replicate these times over the next 18 months then there would be no doubt that she should be rated as one of the worlds better junior female middle distance runners. See below for the junior women's 1500m world all-time rankings (note: I have omitted the performances of the Chinese at both the 1993 and 1997 National Championships with big question marks surrounding their performances - official place on the rankings are placed in the first column in the ( ):

It should also be noted that Jenny Barringer (who recently ran a 3:59.90 personal best over the 1500m at the Prefontaine Classic) was still running 4:21 for 1500m at the age of 21, while Suzy Favor-Hamilton had only run a 4:09.10 as a junior - although this has remained as the American Junior record since 1987 (before going on to record a personal best of 3:57.40 in 2000). Therefore if Hasay doesn't rank with the worlds best as a junior athlete, it will be what she achieves over the course of her career that will dictate as to where she stands within the ranks of the top track and field athletes.

Can Hasay Handle the Pressure?

Hasay has certainly become a big hit with the American press over the past 5 years. It could simply be the way she presents herself when being interviewed, or the trademark long flowing blonde hair, but in the end the American media simply can't get enough of her. Even to the extent that her announcement on which University she was going to attend was broadcast live to the American public. Will the constant pressure of being the darling of women's middle distance running in America become too much of a burden, and ultimately place too much pressure on her to perform at her very best? Well the good thing is that she has her feet firmly placed on the ground. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times (see below), it is clear to see that Hasay can manage the pressure that has, and will, be placed on her in the coming years - especially in the lead up to the 2012 London Olympics.

Aramando Siqueiros, Hasay's high school coach, suggests that it won't be the end of the world if Hasay doesn't line up at the London Olympics (although you would think that not all is going to plan if she doesn't go). Siqueiros simply says that it's all about small steps, which included her participation at the 2008 US Olympic trials - to gain that experience required when she competes against the older girls on the track in 2010.

Competing for Oregon will certainly see the bar raised for Hasay, with high hopes from the Oregon fans of a 2010 NCAA title (both indoors and out) after such a successful 2009 (where both the men and women finished 2nd at the NCAA Outdoor Championships). Hasay could easily be the no.1 athlete at Oregon for the duration of her education at the University, which will add to the already pressure cooker environment that is College track and field.

Only Time Will Tell

In the end it will be all about having fun for this bubbly athlete with such enormous talent. The 2008 USATF Youth Athlete of the Year will definitely have more pressure placed upon her than a normal track and field athlete entering their first year at University.

Leading into her debut season as a College athlete, representing Oregon University, there are so many questions that we would all love to know the answers to. They include - will she ever be an Olympian? Will she win the World Junior title in 2010 and break 4:10 for the 1500m? Will she become one of Oregon's most famous athletes? Only time will tell, but there are suggestions that she will simply take it all in her stride. A 4.53 grade-point average also suggests that if track and field doesn't work out for her then it won't be the end of the world!

Note: Hasay has also just been named the MaxPreps 2008-09 Female Athlete of the Year.