Erik Boal
GLENDALE -- An e-mail correspondence was received earlier this week by
Sara Bei from her friend, fellow competitor and future Stanford
University teammate, Anita Siraki, and within its context was a special
message.
"Let's wow the crowd," Siraki wrote.
You see, even though the pair haven't seen each other since December,
they regularly keep in touch via their computers, and who can blame them
with some seven hours and more than 400 miles separating their Glendale
and Santa Rosa residencies.
But Saturday at 8:16 p.m. at Sacramento City College's Hughes Stadium
-- the site of this year's CIF State Track and Field Championships -- the
Hoover and Santa Rosa Montgomery highseniors will finally reunite in the
3,200-meter final.
And judging by their past histories at the state finals, in addition
to their recent performances at their respective sectional meets, it's a
safe bet that the 18-year-olds will not only capture, but command the
attention of those in attendance.
Both will seek their second state title in the event -- with Bei
winning as a freshman and Siraki as a junior -- and they will both be
attempting to crack the elusive 10-minute barrier, something a prep
runner hasn't done since Kim Mortensen of Thousand Oaks turned the feat
in 9:48.59 in 1996.
"You never can tell what's going to happen, especially coming off
[running the] mile, but Anita and I have talked about breaking 10
minutes," said Bei, who has gone as fast as 10:14 earlier this season.
"I haven't run o7 withf7 someone the whole track season, so I think
it'll be fun to really go out and compete."
THE FIRST ON THE SCENE
As accomplished a high school runner as Siraki is, dominating at the
local, state and national level since her sophomore track season, it was
Bei who achieved greatness at a younger age.
As a freshman, Bei captivated the audience at Cerritos College by
winning state titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 events, establishing
expectations that even the most accomplished runners would have
difficulty living up to during their final three years.
"Winning both the 1,600 and 3,200 as a freshman set a precedent and it
shaped the way I thought of [the] state [meet] for the rest of my
career," said Bei, a four-time individual state champion in
cross-country.
"I was forced to deal with pressure at a young age and I think I've
emerged from it a more prepared individual, especially going into
college. I've learned how to deal with pressure and expectations, and not
let it affect my preparation or focus."
