By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Punahou freshman Victoria Chang already has recorded
middle-distance times that are better than the winning
times at last year's state track meet.

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Chang making fast tracks

Punahou freshman clocking better
than last year's state meet winners

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

Punahou freshman Victoria Chang has no illusions about her value as a middle-distance runner.

The 15-year-old has recorded personal bests this season at 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters that are much better than the winning times at last year's state meet.

Her 5-minute, 6.5-second performance in the 1,600 meters at Stanford in preseason was extraordinary for a youngster still competing at the junior varsity level.

Her 2:18.2 in the 800 meters and her 11:36.8 in the 3,200 meters last month were also performances to raise eyebrows locally.

But, while people congratulate her on what she's done to separate her talent from everyone else in Hawaii's prep ranks, Chang is not impressed with herself.

"Our coaches posted a list of the best mainland times for us to see," said Chang.

In California, there's Lindsay Hyatt with a 2:09.35 in the 800 meters, Julia Stamps with a 4:44.65 in the 1,600 meters, and Andrea Neipp with a 10:19.55 in the 3,200 meters.

That might be enough to intimidate a lot of aspiring underclassmen, but to Chang it's simply incentive.

Her coaches know Chang's work ethic and talent could catapult her to levels seldom reached by Hawaii prep athletes.

"She's very efficient, she has the speed background and I know she'll just push herself as hard as she can," said Duncan Macdonald, a former sub-4-minute miler who assists Dan Tuttle with the middle-distance girls at Punahou.

"She's been serious for years, very strongly motivated to keep improving," said Macdonald, who cited three performances on the mainland by Chang as milestones in her young career.

First, there was the United States Track and Field Junior Olympics last July in Houston, when she clipped a chunk of time off her personal best in the 800 meters to qualify in 2:20.1. Then she went out and ran sub-2:20 in the final.

"It helped me to set a PR and gave me an idea of the kind of competition I'd be running against on the mainland," said Chang.

Then came the Foot Locker Western Regionals in California last November. Chang had not even competed interscholastically yet as a prep runner. But she finished second in 19 minutes and 24 seconds in the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) regional race for freshman girls.

She clocked 5:38 for the first mile, trailing in third place, then overtook the second-place girl at the 11/4-mile mark and held on.

Hawaii high school girls compete on two-mile cross-country courses.

Finally, there was the Stanford Invitational on April 22, when Chang clocked an electronic 5:06.5 at 1,600 meters.

"In that race at Stanford, Victoria discovered early on that no one else would carry the pace, so she did it herself,"Maddonald said. She actually led some of the best runners in the West until the third lap, when she was overtaken and finished a nonetheless impressive second.

"I learned," said Chang.

Chang knows there's opportunity down the road for a young woman who isn't afraid to set lofty goals and work fearlessly toward them. But she is not a one-dimensional personality.

She has a 4.0 grade point average and is a talented musician, playing in the first violin section of the Punahou orchestra.

"It keeps me occupied," she said softly.

Where any of her endeavors will take her is anyone's guess.But it appears she is on the fast track to success.