German Fernandez

German Fernandez is a runner from Riverbank, California, known for his performance in high school cross country and track and field. He is coached by Bruce Edwards of Riverbank High School, which competes in Division IV of the Sac-Joaquin Section. Fernandez first drew some attention as a high school freshman in track, when he raced 1600m in 4:22. [http://www.dyestatcal.com/news/xc2005New/October/03AOW.htm DyeStatCal Cross-Country State Athletes of the Week] , by Doug Speck of DyeStat] During the 2005 CIF State championships, the sophomore clocked the second fastest time of all divisions, 15:14, a time which makes him the third fastest California sophomore on the heralded Woodward Park course. That time is also faster by one second than that of AJ Acosta, the eventual Foot Locker national champion. He went through a number of injuries throughout his junior year, giving him a relatively slow season. [ [http://dyestat.com/?pg=us2007XCIntervalSessionsInterSes17GFernandezCA&PHPSESSID=ca006d0a525134d5c10c17ee371164b3 German Fernandez] , interview by DyeStat]

He will attend Oklahoma State University beginning in fall 2008.

enior year

Fernandez set a number of course records in California. He won the prestigious Stanford Invitational (5k) with a time of 14:42, gapping the second place runner by 40 seconds. [ [http://www.dyestatcal.com/ATHLETICS/XC/2007/stan_res.htm Stanford Invite] , results from DyeStatCal] He won the Sac-Joaquin Section finals race with a time of 15:03, setting the course record and leading his team to win the section title. [ [http://www.theriverbanknews.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=3&ArticleID=35615 Riverbank Boys Run Off With Section Title] , report by Jagada Chambers of [http://www.theriverbanknews.com/ Riverbank News] ] This culminated with his performance at the 2007 California CIF state meet where he ran the 5k race in 14:24, breaking the historic course record set by Olympian Marc Davis by 14 seconds. [ [http://www.modbee.com/sports/story/133042.html In a class by himself: Riverbank's Fernandez sets new record at state title race] , report by Will DeBoard of [http://www.modbee.com/ The Modesto Bee] ] The performance is seen as one of the most outstanding in the history of high school distance running. [ [http://www.maxpreps.com/FanPages/Content/Article.mxp/ArticleID-0afa24b8-0f98-4360-b9cc-f1463b1eb506 Fernandez Saves the Very Best for Last] , report by Mitch Stephens, [http://www.maxpreps.com/ MaxPreps.com] ]

Fernandez took first place at the Foot Locker West Regional, finishing in 14:53. [ [http://www.milesplit.us/articles/16142 Best of the West: Hasay 3-Peats, Fernandez Shows Strength] , report by Scott Bush of [http://www.milesplit.us/ MileSplit.us] ] Fernandez capped his high school cross country career by placing a disappointing third at the 2007 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships finishing 7 seconds behind Chris Derrick (Naperville, IL) and 19 seconds behind National Champion Mike Fout of LaPorte, IN. This was the only race that he lost his senior year. [ [http://www.footlockercc.com/2007/results/BoysNationalFinals.html Foot Locker Cross Country Championship] results as reported by Foot Locker]

On February 16, 2008 Fernandez won the USATF Cross Country Junior Nationals at Mission Bay Park in San Diego, CA. In the final 50 meters, he edged Iona collegiate Ryan Sheridan to win the race and earn a berth on the squad for Worlds. His time in the 8 Kilometer Race was 24:18. [ [http://www.dyestat.com//?pg=us2008XCUSATF-Jr-Nationals Fernandez and Hasay: Cali Prep Sweep] ] [ [http://www.usatf.org/events/2008/USAXCChampionships/results/jm.asp USATF - Events - 2008 USA Cross Country Championships ] ]

During the qualifying meets for the CIF state championships Fernandez recorded several impressive doubles, including a 4:05.57 1600m and a 9:00.10 3200m, followed a week later by a 4:07 1600m and a 8:45.08 3200m. In the 2008 CIF California State Meet 1600 meters on May 31 in Cerritos, California, he ran a 4:00.29 for 1600 meters to break Ryan Hall's state meet record of 4:02.62. 3 hours later, he ran the 3200m in 8:34.23 to capture the US National High School Federation 3200m Record. (The previous 3200 meter record was Dathan Ritzenhein's 8:41.10 run in 2000.) Fernandez's 8:34.23 (=8:37.43 for 2 miles) was slightly inferior to Jeff Nelson's American High School 2-mile record of 8:36.3. However, the 4:00.29/8:34.23 1600/3200 meter double is easily the greatest one-day distance double in American high school history, beating Rich Kimball's 4:06.6/8:46.5 mile/two-mile double, also set at the California state high school championships, in 1974.

Three weeks later, on June 20th, 2008, Fernandez did manage to break Jeff Nelson's 29 year old national high school record for the 2-mile race at Nike Outdoor Nationals, winning with a time of 8:34.40. After running the first mile in 4:19.4, he began to break away from the pack, finishing with a second mile of 4:15 and a last lap of 62.9 seconds. He also broke Galen Rupp's high school 3000 meter record (8:03.67, run in 2004) and the 8 minute barrier with a 3000 meter split of 7:59.82. [ [http://www.modbee.com/sports/story/335493.html Riverbank's Fernandez smashes national record in 2-mile run] . Will DeBoard, The Modesto Bee. Retrieved 20 Jun. 2008.]

elect races by event

Cross Country

Personal bests

References