Fans make their pitch to Hasay

Fans make their pitch to Hasay after race

By Kenny Cress / Sports Writer
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“Come ... to ... Oregon!”

“Come ... to ... Oregon!”

Jordan Hasay heard the chant Friday night from the crowd at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene as she sat beaming and waving in front of the infield scoreboard. The scoreboard was flashing 4:14.50, the time Hasay had just run to set a girls high school national 1,500 meters record as she qualified for the 1,500 final at the United States Olympic Track and Field Trials.

The Arroyo Grande resident still has a year left at Mission Prep, but the crowd didn't seem to care. At press time, she was undecided on a college and the crowd was doing a little recruiting.

Hasay will race at 4:05 p.m. today. NBC is televising the final. Hasay ran her way there by passing three runners with a dynamic last lap that put her fifth in her semi-final heat. She needed a top-six finish to qualify.

Runners must finish in the top three in the U.S. final and/or meet the Olympic “A” standard to make the U.S. team that will travel to Beijing, China for the 2008 Olympics. The Olympic “A” standard for the women's 1,500 meters is 4:07.0.

“I was just thrilled to make the final,” Hasay said in a phone interview Saturday.

Her coach, Dr. Armando Siqueiros, no doubt is thrilled, too.

Siqueiros arrived in Eugene a week ago Friday. He had spent a miserable several days there until Wednesday.

Hasay had been sitting 31st on the list of women's 1,500 entries for consideration for the Olympic Trials for days. Thirty were invited to run, and Hasay's status hadn't changed on Tuesday, the day she flew up.

She moved up to 29th on Wednesday, the day before the Thursday prelims, thanks to late scratches by Nicole Teter and Nicole Blood.

Hasay is a six-time national champion. She has won at the USATF Junior Nationals track and field meet three times, at the USATF Junior Nationals Cross Country Championships twice and once at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships.

She is an international silver medalist. Hasay became the first U.S. girl ever to medal in a 1,500 at a World Youth or World Juniors Championship meet when she ran second at the World Youth meet at Ostrava, Czech Republic last summer.

This, though, is different.

“This is definitely the biggest track meet I've ever been in,” Hasay said. “It's as big as anything in my athletic career so far.”

Hasay has thrived on the biggest track and field stage in the country and the track and field-savvy crowd at storied Hayward Field has eaten it up.

The 16-year-old is the youngest competitor at the trials and, save Christine Babcock - Babcock graduated from Irvine Woodbridge High last spring - was running against collegians and pros.

Hasay rubbed her hands anxiously at the starting line, then, when the gun went off, set about doing what she needed to do to get into the final.

Hasay overcame a brief stumble on the second lap, then put herself where she needed to be - on the outside and out of trouble. She was eighth as the last lap began. With her trademark long blonde ponytail flying, she passed one runner, then blew by two more in the last 200 meters.

“I just stayed out, away from the inside lane,” she said. “I passed two runners, then I passed (Jenelle) Deatherage,” to get fifth place. Deatherage finished sixth.

“The crowd was amazing,” Hasay said. “Every time I'd pass a runner people would just scream. It was really cool.”

Hasay proved she can, literally, run with the big girls - or rather, women.

Hasay again showed off the one thing she lacked before the start of this season - a big finishing kick. Hasay used it to pass Babcock in the 3,200 at the Arcadia Invitational and again to hold off Laurynne Chetelat to win the 3,200 at the CIF State Track and Field meet in meet record time.

She did it again Friday night in the biggest race of her life.

Hasay told the Associated Press afterward that she and Babcock were going after Babcock's 1,500 record of 4:16.42. Hasay was in the back the first half of the race. Then, with the composure of a veteran, gradually put herself in position to get what she wanted.

The record figured to be hers when she hit 1,200 meters at 3:22, but a finals spot was a long way from guaranteed. Hasay made sure she guaranteed herself a spot with a ferocious kick.

And she did it in a setting where a lot of more experienced athletes have faltered.

“It hasn't really sunk in that I'll be running with a lot of the same people that are my idols today,” Hasay said. She laughed. “It's probably good that it hasn't sunk in yet. I don't want to freak out too much before the final.”

Hasay's exploits at these Trials have pushed her departure date for the World Juniors Championships in Poland farther and farther back.

“We've packed and unpacked bags five times,” Hasay said with a laugh.

Now, she won't leave until Monday because Hasay's fun at the Trials isn't over yet.

July 6, 2008