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September 10, 2005

Elan Hilaire Maryland Frosh
Sprint Star Interview
Doug Speck

Elan Hilaire (Maryland frosh star) - Donna Dye Photo

Super Simplot 400 - Leach 54.05 (l) - Hilaire 54.06 Natl Frosh Record (r) - John Dye

Elan Hilaire - Maryland frosh prep star one of the hits of the indoor season!

One of the pleasant surprises this prep indoor season has been the running of Maryland frosh (Park School, Baltimore) athlete Elan Hilaire, who has shown great sprint range, showing up on the yearly best marks lists from 55 to 400 meters. Her winter indoor running was capped by a National Frosh grade 400m record of 54.06 two weeks ago at the Simplot Indoor, a contest, where she was just nipped at the finish by Nicole Leach (who ran 54.05). The 54.06 took down the grade record set by the famed Floridian Char Foster, who recorded a 54.25 as a ninth grader at Simplot back in 1995. Char was one of prep history's great young athletes, setting a still standing National age-14 400m hurdles record of 57.98 from 1994, a stunning effort in which the Middle Schooler won the US under-20 age Junior Championships, with Foster still ranked among prep history's all-time top ten 300m and 400m hurdlers on the clock. Hilaire is moving in pretty select company, with the mild-mannered frosh star showing a contrasting competitive fire when she hits the track.

We caught up with Elan the week after her great Simplot efforts (she also had relay duty for her club there), and she took the time to talk about herself and her running. She seems to have a breadth of interests to balance her running, and we are sure that we have heard from from the last around the oval from this bright young star on the running scene! With a big weekend or two left in the indoor season and hopefully some good weather outdoors for the easterner, it should continue to be a sterling ninth grade introductory campaign on the prep scene!

1) What are your feelings on the track season so far indoors with a National Frosh record in the 400m along the way?

I am very excited about the season I have had so far this year. I have had some great experiences, and my performances show that I have alot of potential in the sport of Track and Field.

2) What running and successes have you had in previous years in our sport?

Over the years I have been a age group national champion. I set my first national record my first year running track at age 9 in the 400m with a time of 1:05.86. Since then I have broken 3 more age group national records in the 200 and 400m. I took a year off in 2001, and came back in 2002 when I was 12 years old, and finished 1st in the 100m, 200m, and the 400m, at the AAU national championships in Knoxville, TN. This year I also won the Colgate Women's Games 55m, at Madison Square Garden, and received The Most Promising Newcomer Award.

3) We notice you live in the Maryland area, yet run for a Track Club that seems to be centered in New York - how did that come about?

I am from New York, as well as my mother. We currently live in MD. My godfather lives in NY and he is the coach of Zzyzx track club.

4) What other sports activities have you done along the way during the past few years?

I play soccer for fun.

5) What are your other interests in any of your spare time?

I play the violin, and speak fluent French. I belong to several clubs at school, including the French Club, and a student mentoring program, where I spend time with a little girl in 1st grade every week. I also do community service with Habitat for Humanity.

6) Have any other members of your family (brothers, sisters, relatives, parents) been active in sports?

No, I am the first in my family to play sports.

7) What meets are there for you down the road this indoor season?

I plan to go to one of the Indoor National championships.

8) Do you have some long-term goals for the outdoor season? (national frosh record outdoors is 52.49 by Jerrika Chapple of Texas from 2000)

I plan to continue running well, and perform to the best of my ability. When I run I do not think about breaking records, and I have never gone after a record in my life.

9) What are your long-term goals for the sport of track and field?

I plan to run college track, and possibly on to the professional level.

10) Favorite subject in school?

I enjoy all of my classes at Park School.

11) Last CD you purchased or your recent favorite?

My recent favorite CD is Kanye West- The College Dropout.

12) Quick memories of your first Simplot Indoor Games?

Running with my friends, and winning the SMR and placing top 6 in the 4x200m. Meeting Alyson Felix, and Jeremy Wariner. Running against some of the best athletes in the country and setting a new National Freshman Record.