At press time, Jordan Hasay was unsure if she will go short (1,500 meters) or long (3,000) in the biggest meet of her spectacular young career.

The Arroyo Grande resident and Mission Prep junior-to-be was set to run the 3,000 on opening day, July 11, of the IAAF World Youth Championships at Ostrava, Czech Republic, her international debut. That was before June 23 when she became the fastest 15-year-old 1,500 meter runner in the world this year.

Hasay won the U.S. Junior Nationals 1,500 going away in 4:16.98 at Indianapolis that day. That time, which would have been good for sixth place at the 2007 NCAA Division I championships, put her fourth all-time on the U.S. prep girls 1,500 list.

The time also put her third amongst the 2007 girls youth leaders at press time. Emebt Etea of Ethiopia has run 4:08.50. Fellow Ethiopian Utura Sule has run 4:13.42. Ling Zhang of China set the world record of 3:54.52 in 1997.

At press time the world youth girls leaders' 3,000 times ranged from the 9:06.33 of Kenyan Felista Wanjuga to 9:18.51. Hasay ran 9:26.32 last year. She has not run a 3,000 this year.

Not all of the world leaders will necessarily be at World Youth meet and, “I might wait until I see the start lists to decide which race I'm in,” Hasay said in a phone interview earlier this week.

“I probably won't see the start lists until I get over there.”

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At least Hasay knows she can switch races if she wants to. In the spring, the USATF only invited Hasay to run the 3,000 for the U.S. at Ostrava. However, “They called me the day of the (Junior Nationals) race and asked if I wanted to run the 1,500.”

Hasay has one stop before the World Youth meet. That is the USATF Youth Nationals which began Tuesday at Benedictine University in the Chicago suburb of Lisle.

She will run in the 1,500. Preliminaries are at 8 a.m. PDT Friday. Event finals are at 8:45 a.m. PDT Sunday.

Hasay had said USATF officials wanted team members to run an event each at the USATF Youth meet to make sure they are fit.

She acknowledged she surprised herself with her time at Indy.

“I didn't hear the splits, didn't look at the scoreboard,” that flashed the times as the race went along, she said.

“When I looked up at the scoreboard and saw my time (at the end of the race), I was pretty surprised.

“I'm real excited. It was great to have such a nice win. There were a lot of great girls in the race. We all pushed each other, so we all ran fast.”

Hasay finished nearly four seconds ahead of runner-up Jessica Pixler, a college freshman. Graduated New Jersey High School senior Danielle Tauro was in the lead with Hasay with 300 meters left, but Tauro faded to sixth. Tauro defeated Hasay in the 2006 Nike Outdoor Nationals women's mile.

Hasay had planned to try to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Trials in the 5,000, a race she has never run on the track. She's re-thinking her strategy now.

Her Indy time put her well under the Trials 1,500 “B” qualifying standard of 4:19.50. The field size for the 2008 trials is 30.

The “A” standard is 4:10. If not enough runners make the “A” standard, “B” standard meters will be invited to fill out the field.

If runners were chosen strictly by best time, Hasay would be in the 1,500 if the Olympic Trials were held today. At press time, she had the 29th fastest 2007 women's 1,500 time in the U.S. Only 25 U.S. 1,500 runners have been faster than Hasay this year.

Still, “I will try to get in some 5,000s so I can just try a bunch of races,” Hasay said. “I'll concentrate on cross country first, but then I'll try to get into some 5,000s.

“It's hard - there aren't many 5,000s for high school runners. I may have to get in (one for) open or college runners. It's a relief to know I've met a standard in one event.”

After the Ostrava meet, Hasay will have some time to reflect on her place in history among the greatest U.S. prep female distance runners. She has four national titles (two in track, two in cross country), and she's not a junior yet.

Only Kim Gallagher (4:16.6), Francie Larrieu and Polly Plumer (both 4:18.8) have run faster U.S. girls prep 1,500's than Hasay has. Hasay broke the sophomore class record of Suzy Favor, one of the best U.S. women's distance runners ever, at Indianapolis.

Her time also beat Lynn Jennings' high school mark of 4:18.06. Jennings won 39 career national titles, in various track, road and cross country races.

“It's really an honor to be up there amongst all of them,” said Hasay. “It's really cool.”

July 04, 2007