Hassan Mead

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Hassan Mead (in orange) enroute to the 2006 Minnesota State Cross Country Running Meet victory
Hassan Mead (in orange) enroute to the 2006 Minnesota State Cross Country Running Meet victory[1]

Hassan Mead (June 28, 1989 - ) is a Cross Country and Track and Field athlete for the University of Minnesota. He is currently in the middle of his Freshman year.

Contents

[edit] High School

Mead moved to the US from Somalia in the year 2000.[2] He eventually settled in Ontario, California and soon moved to Seattle, Washington. He attended Emerald Ridge High School.[3] In his Junior year, he finished 10th at the 2005 Class 4A State Meet.[4] Later that year, he moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota and attended Minneapolis South High School. He competed for South in the Spring Track and Field season and made it to the State Meet in the 1,600 and 3,200 meter runs. He finished 6th (4:19.51) and 4th (9:15.93) respectively. In his Senior season, he joined the South Cross Country team and went undefeated, including victories in the 2006 Roy Griak Invitational (15:49), 2006 State Cross Country Meet (15:10.7), and the Foot Locker Midwest Regional Meet (15:05).[5] At the Foot Locker Nationals, he finished 4th (15:28), only 8 seconds behind the winner. In Track and Field later that year, he again made it to the State Meet in the 3,200 and 1,600. This time, he finished 2nd (9:03.29) and 6th (4:14.17), respectively. He closed out his High School career as one of the finest distance runners the state has ever had.

[edit] College

[edit] Cross Country

Mead attended the University of Minnesota in the fall, competing on the Cross Country team. He had a fine Freshman season, and finished 2nd overall in the Big Ten Conference Meet (23:47.70). In his very first 10K a week later, Mead again finished 2nd overall (29:57) in the Midwest Regional Meet to qualify for the NCAA Nationals. He only finished 43rd in that race, but it was good enough to become Minnesota's first Freshman All-American, and he was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.[6]

[edit] Indoor

Hassan opened his indoor season at the University of Nebraska where he took 3rd in the 3k with a time of 8:13. On February 16, 2008, Mead ran the 2nd-fastest 3,000 meter time ever by a Minnesota runner (8:01.08) at the Husky Invite at the University of Washington breaking the previous record held by Mike Torchia. Two weeks later Hassan raced at the Big Ten Conference Championships in Madison, Wisconsin. On the first day he took 3rd in the 3,000 meter run finishing with a time of 8:11 crossing the line behind Brandon Bethke of the University of Wisconsin and Jeff See of the Ohio State University. The next day, Hassan placed 2nd in the 5,000 meter run finishing in a time 14:22 losing again to Bethke but defeating the Big Ten Cross Country Champion Matt Withrow. His efforts earned him two big ten medals and 2nd Team All-Big Ten Conference for his 5k race.

[edit] Outdoor

Outdoor season is on its way, Hassan Mead made his debut at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon.[7] He finished his first College outdoor 5K with a time of 13:57.86[8], the 7th fastest in school history and his first sub-14 minute 5K. At the Stanford Invitational in May, he bested that time with 13:49.35[9], the 3rd-fastest in school history. On May 15th, he won the Big Ten Conference Meet by 50 meters, running a 14:12[10].

[edit] References

  1. ^ 2006 State Class AA Boys' Cross Country Running Championship Minnesota State High School League (November 4, 2006) Retrieved 2008-04-06
  2. ^ Born, Trevor (April 3, 2008) "Running pays off religiously for Mead" Minnesota Daily
  3. ^ Rardon, J.R. (October 20, 2005), "SPSL cross country: Kentwood junior races to boys title", The Seattle Times
  4. ^ Parish, Christopher (June 12, 2007), "Run for glory: Somalia native shows dedication to faith and speed", Sports Illustrated
  5. ^ Gopher Recruit Hassan Mead Wins Regional Foot Locker Crown (November 23, 2007) Gophersports.com
  6. ^ Hassan Mead Named Big Ten Freshman of the Year (November 1, 2007) Gophersports.com
  7. ^ Born, Trevor (April 4, 2008"Visit to national powerhouse Oregon won't be easy task for Minnesota", Minnesota Daily
  8. ^ Cordes, Paul (April 7, 2008 "Kabia works his way to career-best", Minnesota Daily
  9. ^ May 6, 2008 "Gophers Represent well at Stanford and Iowa"
  10. ^ May 21, 2008 "Gophers Crown Four Bigten Champs"