Left: Jordan Fraser and the team of Mar Soe, Nay Soe, and Cha Moo. Right: Jordan Fraser after breaking a record by point six seconds.
Senior Jordan Fraser has beaten three track school records this season, including the four-hundred-meter and two-hundred-meter races. Barely beating the previous school record times -completed by P. Turano for the two-hundred with twenty-two point eighty-two seconds, and E. Medina for the four-hundred with fifty point forty seconds- he has finished his high school career on a great note.
Even though Fraser has been in track and field for two years as a student due to an injury that affected his running, he still managed to break three school records. “I did [track] my freshman year, but only for a couple of weeks, and then I got hurt,” said Fraser.
Beating the records, though, would’ve been easier if his injury hadn’t occurred, potentially leading him to beat them faster. “My ankle definitely stopped me from breaking the records my junior year, and potentially even beating more this year,” said Fraser.
Breaking the four-hundred-meter race with a forty-nine point eight-second time and the two-hundred-meter with a twenty-two point thirty-two-second time is difficult, especially when the records have not been beaten since 2011 for the four-hundred and 2008 for the two-hundred.
Fraser even defied his own expectations by setting the record. “One, the time was very low… I never expected myself to be a good four-hundred-meter runner. I’m mainly short distance,” said Fraser.
After he broke the records, Coach Pablo Payan told him immediately. “Honestly, I never expected to come in this year, breaking the records, but it was definitely a good experience, the feeling of being able to break three records in the school.”
Not even planning on breaking the records, the surprise was even more shocking. “After the first few meets, I started to realize my potential, and I kept putting the work in, and it became easy,” Fraser said.
Being a football player has helped Fraser with his training, especially with distance. But he needed additional skills to train for track as well. “[I practiced] mainly [by] just pushing myself during practices, always trying my hardest, and being focused,” Fraser said.
Fraser will now have his name on multiple plaques on the track record board. He hopes to break more records eventually. “I’m definitely happy with it, and planning on getting more up there,” Fraser said.
