Athlete Spotlight: James Wood Track Athlete Owen Bales

Posted: April 9, 2013

James Wood track athlete Owen Bales

James Wood High School 16-year-old junior

Sport: Track and field

Events: High jump, triple jump, long jump, 110 and 300 hurdles

Parents: Suzy and David Bales

Hometown: Winchester

Nicknames: A couple weeks ago some of the hurdlers starting calling me “Flash” but that’s it. I came back from jumps one day and they were making up nicknames for everyone and told me that mine was “Flash.”

When did you start running track: I started in seventh grade. My coach actually started me as a distance runner and I ran the two mile because that was the only thing I was good enough to make it into, but then when I came to James Wood Coach Stegmaier put me into hurdles and tried me out and I’ve been doing those and jumping ever since then.

What you love about track: I love the competitiveness about it, every race you’re entered into everyone is within a couple tenths of a second of you so it’s always a great race. And I also love our team because everyone is always there to support you, they’re the nicest people you’ll ever meet and we have great coaches as well.

Biggest strength and weakness in track: [Strength] being able to stay calm at the start line and not let anyone get in my head. Everyone tries to psyche you out for the race, but I’m pretty good about staying focus. [Weakness] my 300 hurdles at this point. With the steps coming up to the hurdles I tend to come up with my wrong foot and I’ll stutter before the hurdle and that just loses speed, so I’m working on getting my steps down.

Sport you always wanted to try: Ice hockey for sure. I’ve been to a couple Capitals games and they’re so much fun, everything is so intense. I think it’d be a lot of fun to play.

Most memorable moment in track: Winning my first race in the 110 hurdles last year [in a dual meet against Millbrook]. I beat the guy by one-tenth of a second and as soon as I came across the finish line I had my coach and four or five teammates there to congratulate me, I was overwhelmed.

Most embarrassing moment in track: Last year in districts in the 300 hurdles, coming over the last hurdle I fell and I was in lane six and I shot off into the fence and got hung up in the fence. I went from like third place to last I think and I came up and was bleeding, it was a bad feeling.

Favorite athlete: [Former Detroit Lions running back] Barry Sanders. He was one of the best running backs ever and he played the sport because he loved it, not because of the money. It brought him joy.

Favorite sports team: Washington Redskins. Grew up a fan, everyone in my family is a Redskins fan.

Three people you can have dinner with, dead or alive: [Former singer] Elvis Presley, [former comedian] Chris Farley and [comedian] Will Ferrell. I’ve always been a big fan of Elvis’ music and I think Chris Farley and Will Ferrell are hilarious, they’d be entertaining to have dinner with.

Favorite Quote: “Pain is temporary. It may last for a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”

Pre-meet routine/ritual: When they say runners to their mark, I get down on the blocks and I always wipe my hands before I set my hands down. Then I look up, take a deep breath and look to the finish line and I exhale and close my eyes and rest my head there until I hear “set” and then I look up and I’m ready to go.

Plans after high school: I hope to run at a collegiate level, George Mason University or JMU would be pretty cool but I’m keeping my options open. I’d like to go into something with medicine.

— Compiled by Kevin Trudgeon