Ray Glier
Special to RivalsHigh

She beat the boys.

Then, when she was just 10 years old, Hasay was moved into the middle school cross-country program and ran against kids two and three years older. She finished second in one race and then started winning again.

But it wasn't winning that necessarily drove her. It was the zeal for running.

"I always liked running, starting out in the fourth grade," she said. "It's been my passion ever since."

When she got to high school, Hasay hit a bump ? losing six races her freshman and sophomore years against varsity competition ? but then the competition was left gasping again. She lost just two races her junior year and then went undefeated as a senior against high school competition.

The 17-year-old Hasay is the Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, and it has as much to do with talent as a passion for running.

A senior at Mission College Prep in San Luis Obispo, Calif., Hasay has had some spectacular times and she is the California high school state champion in the 5A division.

More spectacular than being a state champion, Hasay is a national champion. She won the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships last fall, and last summer she set the national high school record in the 1,500 meters and advanced to the 1,500 finals at the U.S. Olympic Trials for track and field.

Hasay finished fifth in her heat in 4 minutes, 14.50 seconds, which was the 11th-best time of the 12 qualifiers for the finals. Hasay was less than three seconds shy of the top seed for the finals, Shannon Rowbury, who went 4:11.75.

In the finals, Hasay finished 10th with a time of 4:17.36. Rowbury won in 4:05.48.

Hasay does not have a grand view of her success, a philosophical platform. There seems to be just a modest lesson to share with others.

"I'm just focused with it," she said. "My parents taught me if I am going to do something to work hard at it."

Hasay announced Tuesday that she is going to attend Oregon next year. The college competition should be pretty tough, but she can't wait to get pressed. She is already running against Olympic-caliber athletes in open meets.

"You look at her get out there when she is getting ready to run and you say to yourself, 'Kid, you were meant to be a runner,' " said Leslie Monaco, her high school coach. "She just has this amazing dedication, a passion for running, and it is coming from all directions. Genetically, she has a gift from both of her parents, they are athletes. She found something as a youngster that fulfills her. She has big dreams and has found her gift."

Dr. Armando Siqueiros, a private, part-time running coach who has worked with Hasay for four years, offers another reason for her success.

"I think she is so good because of her ability to focus," Siqueiros said. "Here is a kid who had four outstanding high school years in a row. Most kids have significant setbacks and she has not. She has learned under pressure and she stays focused."

Hasay is not only focused as a runner, but also as a scholar. She has a 4.53 GPA and prefers science and math over other subjects. She donates her spare time to Special Olympics and volunteers at a shelter for the homeless.

Hasay has started to compete more against older runners with a goal of making the 2012 U.S. Olympic team. She is looking to shave seven seconds off her best time in the 1,500 and get to 4:06. She trains with runs totaling 60 miles a week.

"I have three more years, and I can be patient with my development," she said. "I'm still learning. I love the sport, and I'm going to stick with it."

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