Future limitless for track star
By Eric Gilmore
TIMES COLUMNIST
BERKELEY - California High School's David Klech had climbed high into the stands Friday afternoon at Edwards Stadium for a quick rendezvous with his track team coaches.
Now he was headed back down toward the track to warm up for his heat in the 110-meter high hurdles at the North Coast Section Meet of Champions.
That's when a fan in the stands stopped him and made a request. Moments later, she was posing with Klech for a picture.
"That happens a lot now," California coach Mark Karbo said, observing the scene.
Other fans and athletes at recent meets have asked Klech to autograph their T-shirts or programs.
Klech's remarkable high school career is on its final lap before he moves on to UCLA in the fall, and it's clear that many of those who have watched him want a keepsake. You know, something to prove they knew him when.
"I've been telling everybody I know, 'Remember this name because you're going to see him in the Olympics,'" Granada track coach Brad Morisoli said from the Edwards infield. "That's my impression. He's got the fire inside him."
Until Klech exploded onto the national prep track scene last year, talk of the Tri-Valley producing an Olympic hurdler would have sounded far-fetched. The area has produced its share of elite athletes in many sports, but it could hardly be considered a cradle of track and field Olympians.
"We all kind of know this is a once-in-a-coaching-experience thing for us," Karbo said. "We're all enjoying it."
Klech has taken his coaches on a track and field joy ride, especially the past two years.
Last year as a junior at the California Interscholastic Federation state meet, he won the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, placed second in the 110 high hurdles and third in the long jump.
Klech was named the Gatorade California Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year and the 2004-05 Times Male Athlete of the Year. Then at the USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships, he won the 400 hurdles and placed third in the long jump.
"This year I had a bunch of goals in mind, and I passed them all within the first month of the season," said Klech, who won his heats Friday in the 110 hurdles (13.79 seconds, wind-aided) and 300 hurdles (37.03), advancing to today's finals. "So I had to re-evaluate all those. It's just been such an incredible experience."
In April at the Arcadia Invitational, Klech won the 300 hurdles in 35.45 seconds. That's the second-fastest time in California high school history and fourth-fastest time in U.S. prep history.
That month he also set a California state prep record in the 400 hurdles (50.35) and ran a personal best in the 110 hurdles (13.69).
Entering the Meet of Champions, he owned the nation's fastest prep time in the 300 hurdles and second-fastest in the 110 hurdles. On the state track and field leader board, he ranks among the top 10 in six events: 110 and 300 hurdles, 400 meters, 800 meters, high jump and long jump.
No wonder his Olympic bandwagon is filling up.
"I definitely think he has the potential to go to the Olympics someday," Karbo said. "His physical talents are there. He has the work ethic. He does have a good chance of doing that if he continues on his current path."
Although some see Klech as a future decathlete, if he makes the Olympics it most likely will be in the 400 hurdles, a grueling race that demands a rare combination of stamina and speed.
"It is my perfect event," Klech said. "I've got the strength of an 800 runner ... and I have the speed of a 200 runner. So that (400) just fits in perfectly."
So does the fact that at 6-foot-4, Klech has a world-class stride that eats up huge chunks of ground on the track.
"He runs at a 13-stride clip between hurdles," said California hurdles and sprints coach Earl Harris. "That's what Edwin Moses did. That's what Andre Phillips did. And those are Olympic gold medalists.
"He shows all the markings of having that ultimate capability of being there in the big lights."
But which big lights? The 2008 Summer Games in Beijing are just two years away. That might be too soon for Klech, who just turned 18, although Harris holds out hope. Four years later, the Summer Games move to London.
"I'm still going to be pretty young," Klech said of the Beijing Olympics. "I'm really hoping to just go and hopefully have a good experience at the Olympic Trials in 2008. And then really gun for it in 2012 in London.
"I've definitely got a lot of work to get there, but I've really worked hard the last four years and really showed myself that anything is possible."
By Eric Gilmore
TIMES COLUMNIST
BERKELEY - California High School's David Klech had climbed high into the stands Friday afternoon at Edwards Stadium for a quick rendezvous with his track team coaches.
Now he was headed back down toward the track to warm up for his heat in the 110-meter high hurdles at the North Coast Section Meet of Champions.
That's when a fan in the stands stopped him and made a request. Moments later, she was posing with Klech for a picture.
"That happens a lot now," California coach Mark Karbo said, observing the scene.
Other fans and athletes at recent meets have asked Klech to autograph their T-shirts or programs.
Klech's remarkable high school career is on its final lap before he moves on to UCLA in the fall, and it's clear that many of those who have watched him want a keepsake. You know, something to prove they knew him when.
"I've been telling everybody I know, 'Remember this name because you're going to see him in the Olympics,'" Granada track coach Brad Morisoli said from the Edwards infield. "That's my impression. He's got the fire inside him."
Until Klech exploded onto the national prep track scene last year, talk of the Tri-Valley producing an Olympic hurdler would have sounded far-fetched. The area has produced its share of elite athletes in many sports, but it could hardly be considered a cradle of track and field Olympians.
"We all kind of know this is a once-in-a-coaching-experience thing for us," Karbo said. "We're all enjoying it."
Klech has taken his coaches on a track and field joy ride, especially the past two years.
Last year as a junior at the California Interscholastic Federation state meet, he won the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, placed second in the 110 high hurdles and third in the long jump.
Klech was named the Gatorade California Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year and the 2004-05 Times Male Athlete of the Year. Then at the USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships, he won the 400 hurdles and placed third in the long jump.
"This year I had a bunch of goals in mind, and I passed them all within the first month of the season," said Klech, who won his heats Friday in the 110 hurdles (13.79 seconds, wind-aided) and 300 hurdles (37.03), advancing to today's finals. "So I had to re-evaluate all those. It's just been such an incredible experience."
In April at the Arcadia Invitational, Klech won the 300 hurdles in 35.45 seconds. That's the second-fastest time in California high school history and fourth-fastest time in U.S. prep history.
That month he also set a California state prep record in the 400 hurdles (50.35) and ran a personal best in the 110 hurdles (13.69).
Entering the Meet of Champions, he owned the nation's fastest prep time in the 300 hurdles and second-fastest in the 110 hurdles. On the state track and field leader board, he ranks among the top 10 in six events: 110 and 300 hurdles, 400 meters, 800 meters, high jump and long jump.
No wonder his Olympic bandwagon is filling up.
"I definitely think he has the potential to go to the Olympics someday," Karbo said. "His physical talents are there. He has the work ethic. He does have a good chance of doing that if he continues on his current path."
Although some see Klech as a future decathlete, if he makes the Olympics it most likely will be in the 400 hurdles, a grueling race that demands a rare combination of stamina and speed.
"It is my perfect event," Klech said. "I've got the strength of an 800 runner ... and I have the speed of a 200 runner. So that (400) just fits in perfectly."
So does the fact that at 6-foot-4, Klech has a world-class stride that eats up huge chunks of ground on the track.
"He runs at a 13-stride clip between hurdles," said California hurdles and sprints coach Earl Harris. "That's what Edwin Moses did. That's what Andre Phillips did. And those are Olympic gold medalists.
"He shows all the markings of having that ultimate capability of being there in the big lights."
But which big lights? The 2008 Summer Games in Beijing are just two years away. That might be too soon for Klech, who just turned 18, although Harris holds out hope. Four years later, the Summer Games move to London.
"I'm still going to be pretty young," Klech said of the Beijing Olympics. "I'm really hoping to just go and hopefully have a good experience at the Olympic Trials in 2008. And then really gun for it in 2012 in London.
"I've definitely got a lot of work to get there, but I've really worked hard the last four years and really showed myself that anything is possible."
