North County's Tyrese Fajardo was one of the top long sprinters and relay legs found within Anne Arundel County over the past few years. His senior indoor season in particular was impressive winning a pair of county titles in the 500 and 300 as well as finishing third in both events at the 4A state meet with personal best times of 1:06.57 and 35.61 respectively.
His spring season was limited, but did manage to run a new personal best and first sub 50 second clocking in the 400 meter dash at the Bullis Bulldog Invite in April with a time of 49.97. A big improvement from his freshmen year bests in the 56 second range. Fajardo heads off next to Ohio State University and will be competing for the Buckeyes.
What was your most memorable race/throw/jump/vault/moment?
I would say my most memorable moment would be from indoor states in my senior year. I finished 3rd in both the 300 and 500 and hit two new big PRs.
Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?
My competition changed a lot over my four years, there was no one person who was dominating the sprints over the duration of my high school career. There was just always someone new, and that pushed me to want to be at the top and the best runner in 4A.
What was your greatest accomplishment?
My greatest accomplishment is my double 3rd place finish during my senior year at Indoor States in the 300 and 500.
If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?
If I could change something, I wish I started running summer track and started taking track more seriously during my freshman year. I treated track as just a sport I would try out, and it wasn't until after I started running summer track was when I saw a significant drop in my times and my love for the sport grew.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
The most difficult obstacle I had was dealing with a bad race. After a bad race, I would replay the race constantly in my head and focus on where I went wrong, and it would mess with my mind for my next race where I would also underperform. Coping with losing was something that I still don't think I have completely down, but I am much better at it than I was freshman year.
What will you miss the most?
I'll miss running the 4x4 the most and anchoring my team to a win. Running the last event at a home meet and under the lights of your stadium is one of the best settings I have ever ran at.
What advice would you give to younger athletes?
I would say that running track should be a fun experience for you. You can't win every race, and its how you deal with the losses that defines you as a runner. Stay focused on your goals and don't be afraid to make sacrifices to achieve your goals.
What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals?
My summer coach has helped me so much in my running career, from improving to a sub 50 400 runner to assisting me in the recruiting process. I will always be grateful for what he has taught me, especially since I wouldn't be the runner I am today without him.
What are your college plans?
I will be running for THE Ohio State University. Go Bucks!
Who would you like to say 'thank you' to?
I really want to thank my parents for supporting me at every race since I was a freshman and supported me in the sport for the past four years. I want to thank my friends for cheering me on, and again thank my coach for everything he's done for me.
