London Calling: Covina High’s Remontay McClain Sprints Toward 2012 Olympics In England

When do you go from being the fastest kid on your block to being the fastest teenager in the CIF-Southern Section?

And how much longer will it take to go from being the fastest in high school to the fastest in the world?

Reymontay McClain can’t wait to find out.

A sprinter from Covina High, McClain certainly proved he was the fastest in the CIF Southern Section this year, winning the CIF State Titles in the 100-meter and 200-meter races at the CIF State Track and Field Championships in Clovis.

His personal best in the 200 (20.68) ranks No. 1 in the nation for high school athletes and he is tied for second in the 100 (10.31). His goal is not modest, but clearly attainable – to compete in the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London.

“Right now, my goal is to try to make the Olympic Trials and see how far I go in that,” McClain said. “I want a career in track and field.”

McClain, who is headed to Azusa Pacific University in the fall, finished with a time of 10.39 seconds in the 100 and 20.95 in the 200 meters at state, becoming one of just two athletes in California’s 93-year state meet history to sweep those events in consecutive seasons.

After wrapping up an unforgettable high school career, McClain notched a third-place finish in the adidas High School Boys’ Dream 100 at the adidas Grand Prix Diamond League meet in New York City on June 11.

Marvin Bracy from William R. Boone High School in Orlando, Florida won with a time of 10.47 seconds, followed by Sean McLean of Word of God Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina with 10.48 seconds and McClain’s posted 10.59. The event features eight different state sprint champions from across the country.

Up next for McClain is a trip to Eugene, Ore., where he will compete in the 2011 USA Junior Oudoor Track & Field Championships, held June 23-26 at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field. Five of the Dream 100 participants are scheduled to compete in the men’s 100-meters at the junior nationals meet, including each of the top three and four of the top five finishers from last week’s Dream 100 event.

Although he was in a class by himself, high school provided enough of a challenge for him to steadily improve his times.

 “It was fine. I didn’t really change for high school because you’re supposed to be all out for every race,” McClain said. “In dual meets, I was racing against the clock. It’s tough to run by yourself, though, because you don’t know how fast you’re running.”

But from the time he was in elementary school, everyone around him knew he was fast. Really fast.

“When I was in the third grade, I was running for an age group at a city meet in Victorville, and beating them pretty badly,” McClain said. “They moved me up to a higher age group and it just made me go faster.

“It’s pretty fun. No one really wants to mess with you when you’re that little and that fast.”

McClain said he loves the sprints because you can see who the fastest person really is. But he favors the 200 over the 100 because, like any good racer, he loves running the curve.

“You can’t really think in 10.2 seconds,” McClain said. “ I visualize myself getting out of the blocks and getting a strong finish. In the 200, you concentrate on a high knee drive, keeping the power going and running the curve.

“I like the 200 it’s an all-out sprint.”

Just like Remontay McClain’s track career.