GRAND RAPIDS, Mich -- Kenowa Hills track athlete Donavan Brazier is already a regular celebrity at his high school track meets.
"Yeah, people like to take pictures and get autographs once in a while," Donavan Brazier said. "I try not to get a big head about it, but I don't know, it's cool."
The reason for his celebrity status is because he is one of the best high school track athletes the state of Michigan has ever seen.
"You don't get many Donavans, if ever," Kenowa Hills track coach Kevin Winne said.. "This is my 10th year, and we've had some very good athletes, some state champions, and he's just a different level, he's a different breed."
Donavan, who will attend Texas A&M next fall, has the fastest times in the state in the for the 400, 800, and 1600 meter runs. Last year as a junior, he won the national championship in the 800, and at regionals this year fans were awed as he ran a state record and national best time of 1:48.07 in the 800.
"When I was coming around the last 200, I could hear them roaring for me," Brazier said, "So, I that's what pushed me the last quarter of the race was the roar of the crowd."
Donavan isn't just a good track runner, he's the elite of the elite. To put his speed into perspective, his 1:48 800 time would have placed him top 8 in the country for the NCAA national meet last year, making him an All-American in addition to making an Olympic dream a possible reality in the future.
"Yeah, that's the dream, but I don't know," Brazier said. "We'll just take it step by step. I'd like to see how far up I can get on the list at NCAA outdoors next year and and indoors at Texas A&M. But I don't know, we'll see."
While Donavan won't head to Texas A&M until next fall, he might get a chance to compete against the best college runners in the nation next month at the USA track and field outdoor nationals.
"1:47.5 would be ideal, because that's when you can qualify for the outdoor nationals out at Oregon, so that's pretty much my goal here," Brazier said.
Running that low would only further cement his legacy as one of the best track athletes to ever come out of Michigan.
"It becomes okay, can we make it, you know, how low can we make it," Winne said. "Try to put it in a place that not many kids can touch."
And so far no one has.
