(Ames) Things were just starting to heat up for AHSTW’s Gage Clay at Iowa State when it all came to a screeching halt. The sophomore trackster was a member of the Big 12 Championship Distance Medley Relay. The group qualified for indoor nationals, but never got the opportunity to compete.
Clay was at the national meet in Albuquerque, NM and could begin to see the writing on the wall. “I had just got to the track and we were warming up. I was waiting for the mid-distance group to get done and I was hanging out with our trainer. They were talking about every team leaving. We were all worried about it getting cancelled. When it did I was dumbfounded by it and didn’t have any emotions at first.”
The announcement came one day before he and his Cyclone teammates were scheduled to compete in the Distance Medley. As it turns out the Big 12 Meet was the only time Clay ran on the Distance Medley all season and it’s safe to see he made the most of his chance with a :46 split. “When I got done with my race I thought I ran a really slow time. I was never a 400 runner in high school, I was always a 100 and 200 guy so when I got the chance at Big 12’s I was super excited. I though it was a slow time, but my coach comes over and said I just ran a :46 and I thought that was awesome.”
In the meet prior to the Big 12 Championships, Clay ran .02 faster than a teammate of his in the open 400 to earn the spot on the distance medley at Conference. He focuses on 100’s and 200’s in high school so he’s had to build endurance and learn how to run the 400.
Clay’s outdoor season has been called off entirely for this year, but his goal was to reach a :47 in the open 400 and low :21’s for a 200. He’s dreaming big for the future. “I want to be able to become a Big 12 finalist in the open 400. I want to be able to prove I can do something in an open by myself. Also competing with my teammates in a relay would be awesome also.”
With the NCAA’s cancellation of spring sports, Clay will have three years of outdoor eligibility remaining. Click below for the full interview with Clay.
