German Fernandez
Encyclopedia
German Fernandez is an American collegiate runner from Riverbank, California
, known for his performance in high school
cross country
and track and field. He is most well known for running the CA Cross Country State Meet course record (14:24), as well as running a new American high-school record, 8:34 for two miles, at the 2008 Nike Outdoor Nationals championship. He also holds the World Junior Indoor Mile record at 3:55.02.
He currently attends Oklahoma State University.
, 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 4:22.95. During his 2005 CIF State championship victory, he clocked the second fastest sophomore time of all divisions, 15:14, on the heralded Woodward Park course. He went through a number of injuries throughout his junior year, giving him a relatively slow season. 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. 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. 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. The performance is seen as one of the most outstanding in the history of high school distance running.
In 2007, Fernandez took first place at the Foot Locker West Regional, finishing in a time of 14:53. Fernandez capped his high school cross country career by placing third at the 2007 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, 19 seconds behind winner Mike Fout of LaPorte, IN.
On February 16, 2008 Fernandez won the USATF Cross Country Junior Nationals at Mission Bay Park in San Diego, CA in 24:18. This earned him a berth to the USA squad for IAAF Junior World Cross Country Championships.
In the 2008 CIF California State Meet
at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California, Fernandez ran a 4:00.29 for 1600 meters to break Ryan Hall's
state meet record of 4:02.62, and 3 hours later, ran the 3200m in 8:34.23. Fernandez's 8:34.23 (~=8:37.43 for 2 miles) converts slightly slower to the American high school 2 miles (3.2 km) record of 8:36.3. However, his 4:00.29/8:34.23 double for 1600/3200 meters is the fastest distance double in American high school history, beating Rich Kimball's 4:06.6/8:46.5 mile/two-mile double set at the 1974 California state high school championship meet.
Three weeks later, on June 20, 2008, Fernandez surpassed Jeff Nelson
's 29-year-old national high school record for the 2 miles (3.2 km) race at Nike Outdoor Nationals, winning with a time of 8:34.40.Fernandez opened his first mile in 4:19.4, and finished with a second mile of 4:15. He also broke Galen Rupp
's high school 3000 meter record with a 3000 meter split of 7:59.82.
to run for Coach Dave Smith. During the Razorback Invitational, Fernandez broke a World Junior Record by running 3:56.5 mile indoors. At the Big 12 Championships, he ran 3:55.02 to further his record and beat the converted collegiate indoor record in the mile.
In outdoor track, he broke Galen Rupp
's American Junior Record at 5000 meters at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational, but Chris Derrick
finished ahead of German to take the American Junior Record. However, at the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships he placed 5th in the 5000m, beating Derrick's American Junior Record in a time of 13:25.46.
He was the 2009 NCAA Division I champion in the outdoor 1500 meters, winning in 3:39.
* This is the Junior (under age 20) Indoor World Record and ties the U.S. Collegiate Indoor Record
** Stood as the American High School record until 2011
*** This is the Junior (under age 20) U.S.A. national record
Riverbank, California
Riverbank is a city in Stanislaus County, California, United States. The population was 22,678 at the 2010 census, up from 15,826 at the 2000 census...
, known for his performance in high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
and track and field. He is most well known for running the CA Cross Country State Meet course record (14:24), as well as running a new American high-school record, 8:34 for two miles, at the 2008 Nike Outdoor Nationals championship. He also holds the World Junior Indoor Mile record at 3:55.02.
He currently attends Oklahoma State University.
High school
Fernandez was coached by Bruce Edwards of Riverbank High SchoolRiverbank High School
Riverbank High School is located on Claus Road in Riverbank, California, and is one of the two high schools in the Riverbank Unified School District along with Adelante High School.-Athletics:The school's sports teams are known as the Bruins...
, which competes in Division IV of the Sac-Joaquin Section
Sac-Joaquin Section
The Sac-Joaquin Section is a part of the California Interscholastic Federation, governing high school sports in the northeastern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area, the city of Sacramento, and the northern portion of the San Joaquin Valley...
. Fernandez first drew some attention as a high school freshman in track, when he raced 1600m in 4:22.95. During his 2005 CIF State championship victory, he clocked the second fastest sophomore time of all divisions, 15:14, on the heralded Woodward Park course. He went through a number of injuries throughout his junior year, giving him a relatively slow season. 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. 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. 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
Marc Davis (athlete)
Marc Davis is a retired American track and field athlete, who mainly competed in distance races like the men's 3.000 metres steeplechase and 5.000 metres...
by 14 seconds. The performance is seen as one of the most outstanding in the history of high school distance running.
In 2007, Fernandez took first place at the Foot Locker West Regional, finishing in a time of 14:53. Fernandez capped his high school cross country career by placing third at the 2007 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, 19 seconds behind winner Mike Fout of LaPorte, IN.
On February 16, 2008 Fernandez won the USATF Cross Country Junior Nationals at Mission Bay Park in San Diego, CA in 24:18. This earned him a berth to the USA squad for IAAF Junior World Cross Country Championships.
In the 2008 CIF California State Meet
CIF California State Meet
The CIF California State Meet is the annual championship track and field meet for the California Interscholastic Federation. The meet was started in 1915 for boys and 1974 for girls. Every athlete in every high school in California has a direct qualification path that can reach the state meet...
at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California, Fernandez ran a 4:00.29 for 1600 meters to break Ryan Hall's
Ryan Hall (runner)
Ryan Hall is an American long distance runner. He won the marathon at the 2008 United States Olympic Trials and placed tenth in the Olympic marathon in Beijing. He holds the U.S. record in the half marathon . With his half marathon record time, he became the first U.S...
state meet record of 4:02.62, and 3 hours later, ran the 3200m in 8:34.23. Fernandez's 8:34.23 (~=8:37.43 for 2 miles) converts slightly slower to the American high school 2 miles (3.2 km) record of 8:36.3. However, his 4:00.29/8:34.23 double for 1600/3200 meters is the fastest distance double in American high school history, beating Rich Kimball's 4:06.6/8:46.5 mile/two-mile double set at the 1974 California state high school championship meet.
Three weeks later, on June 20, 2008, Fernandez surpassed Jeff Nelson
Jeff Nelson (runner)
Jeff Nelson was an American long distance runner. He was a high school phenom at Burbank High School , where he set the national high school record in the 2 mile run, the predecessor to today's 3200 meter run, at 8:36.3...
's 29-year-old national high school record for the 2 miles (3.2 km) race at Nike Outdoor Nationals, winning with a time of 8:34.40.Fernandez opened his first mile in 4:19.4, and finished with a second mile of 4:15. He also broke Galen Rupp
Galen Rupp
Galen Rupp is an American cross-country and track and field athlete, who competed for the University of Oregon and currently trains under Alberto Salazar as a member of the Oregon Track Club. Rupp competed for his native country in the men's 10000 m at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing,...
's high school 3000 meter record with a 3000 meter split of 7:59.82.
College
The top distance recruit in the nation, Fernandez elected to attend Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OklahomaStillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
to run for Coach Dave Smith. During the Razorback Invitational, Fernandez broke a World Junior Record by running 3:56.5 mile indoors. At the Big 12 Championships, he ran 3:55.02 to further his record and beat the converted collegiate indoor record in the mile.
In outdoor track, he broke Galen Rupp
Galen Rupp
Galen Rupp is an American cross-country and track and field athlete, who competed for the University of Oregon and currently trains under Alberto Salazar as a member of the Oregon Track Club. Rupp competed for his native country in the men's 10000 m at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing,...
's American Junior Record at 5000 meters at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational, but Chris Derrick
Chris Derrick
Chris Derrick is an American distance runner at Stanford University and former American junior record holder in the 5000 meters.-High school:...
finished ahead of German to take the American Junior Record. However, at the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships he placed 5th in the 5000m, beating Derrick's American Junior Record in a time of 13:25.46.
He was the 2009 NCAA Division I champion in the outdoor 1500 meters, winning in 3:39.
Personal bests
| Distance | Mark | Date | Location | Type of Terrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1500m | 3:39.00 | 6-13-2009 | Fayetteville, AR | Outdoor Track |
| Mile | 3:55.02i* | 1-24-2009 | College Station, TX | Indoor Track |
| 3000m | 7:47.97i | 2-14-2009 | Seattle, WA | Indoor Track (Oversized) |
| 2 mile | 8:34.40** | 6-20-2008 | Greensboro, NC | Outdoor Track |
| 5000m | 13:25.46*** | 6-26-2009 | Eugene, OR | Outdoor Track |
| 8000m | 23:20.00 | 2-7-2009 | Derwood, MD | Cross Country Cross country running Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road... |
| 10000m | 29:15.30 | 10-16-2010 | Fayetteville, AR | Cross Country Cross country running Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road... |
| Half Marathon Half marathon A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a... |
1:09:45 | 2-4-2007 | Davis, CA | Road Race |