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800 m High School National Record Holder Clay to Attend Texas A&M



2019 men's 800 m national champion and Soyo H.S. 3rd-year Aaron Tatsunami Clay will enroll in America's Texas A&M University next September, it was learned on Nov. 14. Until then he plans to remain based at Soyo in preparation to go for the win at next year's National Championships and to clear the 2020 Tokyo Olympics qualifying standard.

The prestigious Texas A&M is where Donovan Brazier (U.S.A.), winner of the gold medal in the men's 800 m at this fall's Doha World Championships, is enrolled. Soyo H.S. head coach Mitsuru Zeniya, 53, who accompanied Clay on a visit to see the university, was supportive of Clay's decision and goals, saying, "He just barely missed the World Championships qualifying standard. If he trains with athletes who are stronger than him he'll grow more."

Last year at the October Niigata Autumn Time Trials meet Clay set a national high school record of 1:47.51 for 800 m. At the National Championships in June this year he took that record to 1:46.59 to become national champion for the first time at just age 17. He also ran in this year's World Relay Championships, held in Japan for the first time in May, running in the mixed 2x2x400 m relay and helping the team finish 3rd overall. This summer he won his second-straight National High School Track and Field Championships 800 m title. He has also run 47.12 for 400 m, 3:44.86 for 1500 m and 14:58.68 for 5000 m.


source article:
https://www.kanaloco.jp/article/entry-208801.html
translated by Brett Larner

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