German Fernandez (Oklahoma State)

German Fernandez
Distance - DIS



Freshman

Previous Affiliations
Riverbank
Previous Experience



Riverbank, Calif.








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Courtesy: okstate.com
Release: 06/27/2008
High School: 2008 Gatorade National Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year at Riverbank HS in Riverbank, Calif., where he was coached by Bruce Edwards ... 2007-08 Gatorade Boys Cross Country California Runner of the Year ... 2008 Nike Outdoor National Champion in the two-mile with a time of 8:34.40 that easily broke a 29-year-old national record of 8:36.30, set by Jeff Nelson ... Fernandez’s 3K split of 7:59.83 also broke the national record (8:03.67) set by Galen Rupp in 2004 ... Placed first in the 8,000 meter race at the USA Cross Country Championships World Championship Team Qualifier with a time of 24:18 ... Finished 25th at the 36th IAAF World Cross Country Championships with a time of 24:15, leading Team USA to a sixth-place team finish in Edinburgh, Scotland ... At the California Interscholastic Federation State Track & Field Championships, Fernandez’s performance in the 1,600 meters (4:00.29) broke the California Interscholastic Federation state meet record (4:02.62), set in 2001 by 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Men’s Marathon champion Ryan Hall. Fernandez’s time was only 0.78 seconds away from the National Federation of High School Athletic Associations record (3:59.51), set in 2001 by the current American record holder in the mile and 2000-01 Gatorade National Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year, Alan Webb ... After a mere two hours of rest following the 1,600-meter race, Fernandez clocked an 8:34.23 finish in the 3,200 meters, shattering the 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. This performance also broke a hand-timed CIF state meet record (8:44.9) set by the late Eric Hulst in 1975 ... Finished the 2008 outdoor season ranked No. 1 in both the 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters among prep competitors nationwide ... Champion at the 2008 USATF Cross Country Junior Nationals in 24:18... Maintained a 3.25 grade point average.

Personal: Donated his time as a youth basketball coach in addition to serving as a race course monitor at the annual Riverbank Wine & Cheese Run, a charity race associated with the ShadowChase Running Club ... An active peer leader in his school and community despite a demanding, year-round focus on elite-level distance training.