Cristian Hunter, Penn Wood HS
Most memorable race/competition?
I've run a lot of races in my four years at Penn Wood but I'd had to say my most memorable was winning the 4x400 at outdoor states in 2012. Not only was it a great race because of the time we ran but it was my last time running with the relay we had. I had been together with most of those guys on that team since middle school and it was really cool to see all of our hard work pay off with a 4x400 championship and 2nd place overall team finish.
Where did you face your biggest competition?
There is no question that the biggest competition I faced was in District I. Every single District Meet was like running at states because most of the qualifiers from DI end up in the finals at states. DI all day!
Out of all of your high school accomplishments, which stands out the most?
The accomplishment I'm most proud of is placing in the district meet and going to states in the 800m. Pennsylvania is known for the 800 and for me to literally start running the event 1 month before districts and be able to run the times I did is one of my greatest accomplishments.
If you could do it all over again, what would you change about your athletic career in high school?
If I could change anything it would be to not run the 100 and 200 when I was in 9th and 10th grade and run the 400 and 800.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
The biggest obstacle I faced had to be when my Grandma passed away in my senior year. She lived with me so for her to not be there anymore was very hard because she gave me so much advice and taught me many life lessons. I knew that in order to honor her I had to go out on the track and be the best I could be. I feel as though i would have made her proud when I was honored with the Mag Patterson Sportsmanship Award from the Del-Val Coaches Association.
What will you miss the most?
I'll miss the practices at Penn Wood the most. Whether we were outside on the dirt track or inside running in the hallways, Coach Lenny always kept us laughing in between our hard workouts. I'm going to miss a lot of my teammates and the good times we had.
Do you have any advice for younger athletes?
My advice to all you young athletes out there is to never give up. It's going to get hard and I can promise you that but overcoming tough situations and circumstances is very rewarding.
How have your coaches influenced your performances and your life goals overall?
I can't say enough about the Penn Wood coaching staff. Coach Lenny Jordan is the type of person who has your back no matter what. I owe a lot to him for my successes. My dad and assistant coach Elmore Hunter, some might think it would be hard to have your dad as a coach but it's really not. My dad is the person who picked me up and motivated me to keep fighting. Coach Moe, I'll never forget your speeches before and after we ran. I owe it all to you guys. You taught me how to be a man at the same time rise to success in the right way with no short cuts, just hard work and dedication
What are your college plans?
I plan to attend La Salle University where i will run track and major in Physics and take a minor in Business
Shout-Outs?
Shout out to my parents, all my coaches, all the track alumni and teammates from Penn Wood. Shout out to my best friend Syyah. Shout out to all the up and coming athletes at Penn Wood. Shout out to our trainer Angie for nursing me back to health from my injuries, to all my haters who told me I wasn't good enough because you fueled me to become everything you said I couldn't. C/O 2013 we outchea!!!!!
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