Catch him if you can

Solid in the 400, Jesuit's Hunter Clasen also targets the 200 and 800.

By SCOTT PURKS
Published March 10, 2007

TAMPA - Hunter Clasen has a theory on how to run a sub 48-second, 400-meter dash.

"Hard work," he said.

Critics, of course, will say it's not that simple. Last season Clasen won the Class 2A 400 in 47.54 seconds, beating a bunch of kids who worked pretty darned hard themselves.

"Okay," Jesuit coach Ray Rodriguez said, "I'll say that Hunter works as much as any athlete on our team, which is saying a lot because we have some extremely hard workers.

"The fact is, Hunter also has a great deal of God-given gifts (see 6-foot-2, 185 pounds)."

Clasen said it goes back to when he was 10 and racing around the school yard, which showed he was faster than everybody in his class, which, after asking his father Marty, led to him racing for the local Hershey youth track club. He ended up that first year with a fifth-place finish at state in the 200 meters.

Since then, if you saw Clasen, he was probably running.

"I think the reason I'm running as fast as I am now is because of all that work through the years," he said. "It's not something that's happened only because of the last couple of years."

It doesn't hurt that his father, Marty, was a talented 400-meter Jesuit runner as well. In 1972 Marty set the 440-yard school record in 50.25 seconds (conversion to 400 meters equals almost the same time).

In 1979, David Retherford broke Marty's 400 mark by more than a second and held it until last year when Hunter brought it back to the Clasen family.

"Now," Marty said, "hopefully he can bring the 200- and 800-meter records to the family as well."

He just might.

Clasen, with his long, powerful strides, has run a 22.36-second 200 meters and completed the 800 in 1:54.83. The 200 school record is 21.89 seconds (set by Retherford in 1979) and the 800 mark is 1:54.75 set by Mike Akins last season.

Clasen said the first priority, however, is helping his team win a state team title, which is possible since the Tigers return much of last year's squad that placed second in Class 2A.

In the end, Clasen could turn out to be the Tigers' MVP, considering he likely will run the 4x800 relay, 400 meters and either the 200 or 800 at state.

And if you don't believe Clasen is first and foremost a team player, consider he played defense for the Tigers' soccer team as it reached the state semifinals before losing three weeks ago. If Clasen was selfish, he might have dropped soccer for track to make a stronger run at the records.

"But I was committed to my soccer team," Clasen said. "I was going to work as hard as could to help them win."

Plus, he had a track scholarship in the bag to Georgia Tech, a perfect fit for him because he thrives in the classroom, particularly the sciences.

Current academic standing?

He has made all As against only two Bs in his four years at Jesuit.

How did he do that?

"Hard work," he said. "Hard work."

Fast Facts:

Charles Johnson Invitational

Where: King

When: Today, 9 a.m.

Teams: Brandon, Hillsborough, Armwood, Plant, Freedom, Jesuit, Newsome, Gaither, King

Did you know?: This is the 12th annual Charles Johnson Invitational, named for the coach who led King to the state track title in 1987 after becoming only the second Florida athlete to win four events at state. Johnson will be presented with a plaque during the meet in recognition for his achievements and his work in youth track programs. ...The day also will mark the first time a major meet will be held on King's newly installed rubber track.

[Last modified March 10, 2007, 00:14:02]