the next Wariner? Pick one

trackster

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Yesterday, h.s. senior Brady Gehret, blistered an indoor 48.06 to run the fastest indoor 400 in the country this year. Gehret's mark edged that of Patrick Farmer, who had earlier run a 48.20. These two guys could be dueling for Olympic gold someday.

First Farmer--this kid is ridiculous. He'd never run track in his life. All he'd done was play soccer. But somehow he ended up on the track team as a senior, and the results are unbelievable. He set the U.S. best 48.20 a couple of weeks ago at a major meet called the Hispanic Games (the name seems to have nothing to do with the competition). I watched the race (you have to keep fast forwarding through the three-hour video on the meet website. It's the first of the 400's). The P.A. announcer was apoplectic, saying "What an upset!!" Farmer was naturally given the dreaded lane one, which requires the sharpest turns, but he had passed nearly every runner by the end of the first lap. On the second lap, he simply swung around the guys in front of him, and finished first by a huge margin. It was a jaw-dropping performance. This kid has only started training, but he looked like an Olympian running against elementary kids--only his competition was from all over the country, runners who had proven themselves at the highest level for years. He runs like Wariner, long, easy strides.

They ran numerous 400's at that meet, and Farmer's was a second and a half faster than the next best.

But then comes Gehret. Gehret is a one-man sprint squad from Altoona, PA. He's been scoring piles of points for years now. Yesterday, he not only ran the fastest indoor 400 in the country, but he also won the 200 (21.44 INDOORS!) and finished second in the long jump. In most meets, he runs several relays as well. He's a thoroughbred. I've not seen any video on him.
 

StarWars

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Both are incredible. I hope they go to Nike Indoor Nationals. I want Christopher Mcconnell from Andover MA to win the 60m there. I love the fact that Casey Combest's 6.57 record still stands. By the way, Comest was faster than Tyson Gay in highschool and has the indoor 60m and 100m HS NR.
 

white lightning

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Combest has the indoor record but not the outdoor record. It still makes me sick how this kid just wasted his talent away. We will never know what could have been. Has Mcconnell run any fast times yet this year? I need to checkout dyestat.com and catch up on the high school track scene.
 

trackster

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A little more. Amongst the guys Farmer beat in the 400 was John Thomas, who has been bragging about how he intends to break the U.S. 300 record. It was when Farmer seemingly jogged past Thomas that the p.a. announcer went nuts. Farmer has also run one 300 this winter (the only 300 in his life) and he earned the second best time in the country. As fast as Gehret is, I think Farmer has more natural talent than any 400 man in the country. I sure hope he sticks with track rather than soccer.

No use lamenting a drug dealer like Combest. Character is a part of athletics, too. Maybe not the biggest part, but a part, and it was nothing but character that brought down Combest. Better to watch this Farmer kid. He can be someone if he chooses to pursue it.
 

white lightning

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I'm going to keep an eye on both of them. I have been so busy following the scene in Europe lately that I haven't been keeping track of our local youth rising up. I need to watch these guys run. Hopefully they will continue to develop. Adam Steele and Mitch Potter had good but very short careers. I want these kids to be track stars for the next decade just like Wariner.
 

white lightning

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The more I read about Brady Gehret, the more impressed I am. He can do it all. He has some serious wheels. I see incredible upside as well. Does anyone know what college he is going to go to yet? I would hope that he has many choices with his kind of talent. He is very similar to Wariner! I wonder if he has ever run a 100 and what his time would be. I know he is going to be a 200/400 guy but I'm still curious. Good luck to this high school stud the rest of the season. What an athlete.
 

albinosprint

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I mentioned Farmer in the 2010 Indoor Track Season post. I have been looking through the local papers, but haven't come across anymore articles about him. I really hope this kid does spring track this season and goes on to the college level. he is so raw, who knows how fast this kid can go! Brady Gehret reminds me of Shane Pratt from PA. White Lightning, do you remember Pratt from the early 90's? anyhow, both these guys are a well needed to break the USA's caste.
 

white lightning

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I remember a little about Shane. Probably not as much as you. If I remember right, he excelled at multiple events from the 100/200 & 400 meters. He was very talented. It's a shame we never see alot of our top sprinters stay in track. Whites just are interested in so many different sports, music and academics. Track is usually at the bottom of the barrel. I truely belive we would see alot more Wariner types if whites ever fall in love with track like alot of us here have. Watching track is equal to football for me. I love the sport. From sprinting in the past and still occasionally to being a number one fan. I'm so intrigued following sprinters from around the world.

We are seeing a mini revival of white sprinters. If a few more guys can break through at the highest level, more kids will take interest. The same way that Tony Hawk transformed skateboarding to a huge sport, Lemaitre can lead the charge for the cause. We need Athletics to grow in popularity with people of european ancestry. I hope those days are coming soon. I want to see a more equal playing field. We need more participants plain and simple.
 

trackster

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Here's a link that will get you to the Farmer run.
http://ny.milesplit.us/pages/Webcast2010
Beneath the video is a dropdown menu. Select the Invitational boys 400 (not the later boys 400). It doesn't work really well, so you'll be forced to sit through an uninteresting girl's 400 first, but the Farmer performance that follows is well worth the wait. A kid with no background in track jogging past the Jamaican who has trained like an Olympian all his life.
 

white lightning

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Great interview. What a down to earth guy. I was hoping to read where he might go to college. Does anybody know? Hopefully to some where like Baylor where he can continue to develop.
 

jacknyc

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Patrick Farmer and Brady Gehret race against each other tomorrow in the 300m. However, I don't know if they will be in the same heat. Either way, looking forward to some fast times.
 

jacknyc

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Brady Gehret won the race, with the fastest time of year!
Farmer was last. Hope he is OK>
 

trackster

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Agreed on Farmer. That time was way off (six seconds back), suggesting an injury. But Gehret was on fire. That was the sixth fastest ever run by a high schooler. He signed with Penn State last week, by the way. PSU is putting together one heck of a team with Loxsom, Foster, Gehret.
 

trackster

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Now that's weird: I just saw the photos (on Dyestat) of the 300, and Patrick Farmer didn't finish last or 6 seconds back. In fact, he finished third, well ahead of the ballyhooed Jamaican John Thomas, and some other kid appears to be 6 seconds back. So evidently they mixed up Farmer's number with someone else. We'll never know what his real time was (it looked like it should be good). Hopefully, this won't cost him a scholarship.
 

trackster

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Mystery solved--I just checked another site (milesplit) with a slightly later photo and it turns out that Farmer went sprawling to the track just one or two steps from the finish. And he was slaughtering the Jamaican.
 

jacknyc

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I looked at the photos - I think Farmer mis-judged the finish line. He was leaning forward for the tape, probably too soon, and fell over. Anyway, he was right there in the mix, so as long as he didn't hurt himself, he'll be back.
 

white lightning

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I hope he didn't get hurt. That is how Christian Blum got hurt last year as he won the race. He hasn't been the same since although he is slowly working his way back. Another fantastic race by both of these fine young sprinters.
 

albinosprint

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I leaned at the finish line and broke my arm and missed the whole season, I hope he is ok. that finish line can really F you up!
 

trackster

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I know these guys are still in high school and may or may not ever achieve anything like Wariner, but I was on Dyestat and found this long discussion thread inspired by a ridiculous run by Patrick Farmer. He ran the last leg in a 4 x 400, and everyone that's seen it has gone bonkers over it. The video is godawful. Fuzzy, shaky, occasionally pointing in the wrong direction. But bear with it.

Every leg runs two laps (of a 200m indoor track). By the fourth leg, Farmer's team is hopelessly, and I do mean hopelessly behind. At least 40 meters back, maybe more. Then look what happens when he gets the baton. And bear in mind that he is running against the anchor legs, so all that ground he's making up is against the best the other schools have. Also, it's his fourth race of the day, and the kid is brand new to track. He rockets a 46.5 INDOORS. It's unbelievable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqyQlGxHKG8
 

albinosprint

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all I can say is unf-ing believable!
 

trackster

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Brady Gehret never lets us down. Just visited Dyestat and discovered that he not only won both the 200 and 400 at the PA championships, but his 200 time (21.22) was the best in the country this year, and the eighth best h.s. time ever!! To put that time in perspective, he was within .07 of the time just run by Olympic gold medalist LaShawn Merritt this week (Merritt ran 21.15). I mean, this kid is still in HIGH SCHOOL!! Heck, he's within about .4 of LeMaitre's best indoor time. This kid is seriously brilliant. He also ran the best time in the U.S. in the 400 this year. Mind you, this was at the same meet, on the same day. 47.70

Heading to Penn State next year, and it will be interesting to see what event they put him in. At this stage, his 200 times are more amazing than his 400 times, but he's the best in the entire country at both.

Now if only LeMaitre can make Sportscenter we might get a few dozen more Brady Gehrets someday.
 
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