O-R Athlete of the Week: Colton Dean, Canon-McMillan
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Name: Colton Dean
School: Canon-McMillan
Sport: Track & field
Class: Junior
Dean’s week: The Big Mac junior won the 100-meter dash and the 300-meter hurdles last Friday at the 50th Annual Baldwin Invitational.
Dean crossed the finish line in 10.90 to win the 100 and topped the field in the 300 hurdles at 38.85. He was third in the long jump (22-4) and seventh in the 200 with a time of 22.89.
“The competition is so big at the Baldwin Invitational, so it was great to win two events there,” Dean said. “By the time the 200 rolled around, I died from exhaustion and finished seventh. My legs were also dead in the long jump, so I didn’t do as well as I would have liked in that event.”
Dean is looking forward to the individual WPIAL Championships next week at Slippery Rock. He is unsure of what events he will compete in.
“That is something I will need to discuss with my family and coaches,” Dean said.
Five-time national champion: Dean is not just an in-season track and field athlete, as he competes in national meets during the offseason.
Dean won the USATF national title in the decathlon last year at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon in the 15-16 age group. Dean won the 100-meter hurdles and the pentathlon in the 13-14 age group and was an AAU Indoor National Champion in the 200-meter dash and long jump in the 15-16 age group.
Dean’s favorite event is the long jump because he likes getting some air time and also being able to jump in a sand pit, but he has to be stellar in 10 events over two days to succeed in the decathlon.
“I wouldn’t say the long jump is my best event, but it’s my favorite,” Dean said. “I really enjoy the decathlon and hope to be able to compete in the event in college. I would say the last event, which is the 1,500, is the toughest because I am not a distance runner, plus you are doing it after competing in nine events so your legs are dead. You just have to get through it.”
Teenage CEO: Dean is the CEO of Men in Blue Power Washing and runs the business with his friends, and is leaning towards a business major in college.
“It is nice to have a job and run a business at 17-years-old,” Dean said. “Of course, I always have to get my studies done before I can focus on the other things.”