Establishing himself as the top sprinter of Diamond Bar High School Track & Field in the face of close finishes and tough competition, senior Allen Chang has proven himself to be one of the best runners in the Hacienda League. He victoriously earned the title of Hacienda League Champion in events such as the 200 Meter Dash, 4×400 Meter Relay, and additionally placed top three in the 100 Meter dash this season.
“I feel it’s been pretty good overall,” Chang said. “It could have been better here and there, but I think I’ve had a lot of fun from running these past few years.”
Running track for four years, he was originally encouraged to take on track by his middle school P.E. teacher as he believed that he was quite fast. After his initial inspiration, he grew to love the sport and continued running throughout his high school career.
“I like all the people that I meet and the skills I develop,” Chang said. “The people that I met showed me a lot of support, and in return, I try to do the same. As for the skills, I’ve learned things such as discipline and time management.”
Despite some inevitable struggles and a myriad of emotions throughout the season, Chang would ultimately succeed in others. He hopes that through both his performances and the overall performance of the team, a positive impact will be left on his teammates.
“Aside from how I personally feel, overall, for everybody it was a fun and unique experience as we have a lot of new people,” Chang said. “It was a good way to open them up to how track is and what they are to expect in the future.”
Managing to emerge as the school’s all-time top ten for the 200 Meter Dash, and also being ranked in the top 200 in the state for the 200 Meter dash, Chang has said that discipline played a major factor in his accomplishments.
“Our coaches here have taught me how to really manage myself even when they are not around,” Chang said. “Because of how I developed that skill, I can now use that skill on other everyday things.”
As Chang prepares to graduate from DBHS, he is still undecided on his future, both in his academic and athletic career. He hopes to major in something similar to psychology, although is unsure of his exact major. The difficulty of college athletics is also what has left Chang debating whether to continue his track career, but he has not given up on the idea.
“Looking back at all I did, if I were to have the option to join track again I would,” Chang said. “But I think I would approach it a little differently than how I did. But it was still a fun experience.”