MPS
Clara Savchik
Ayden and Clara had tons of talent and
were dynamite kids,” Neff says. “Ayden
and Clara have put in three solid years
of work, and have made themselves into
what they are today.”
Ayden became the first competitor
from a Western Pennsylvania
Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL)
school to win both the 110 and 300-meter
hurdles at the state championships since
the PIAA began holding those events in
1973. While basketball is in his blood (his
father, Michael, played collegiately at the
University of Virginia in the late 1970s)
and he’s skilled in football, his passion is
track. He has competed since age 9, and
draws inspiration from an eclectic mix of
track stars that spans from Jesse Owens in
the 1930s to Usain Bolt today.
The PIAA Championships didn’t
start off like Ayden had expected, but
he rallied to have a record-breaking day.
“I performed poorly in the long jump
and hardly made the finals,” he recalls.
“I ended up with a 7th place medal
when I was seeded 1st. That gave me the
motivation to push as hard as I could in
the high hurdles. On the line, all I was
thinking was win. Then, when I crossed
the line and glanced at the time, I was
shocked and relieved that I set the state
record. I wasn’t expecting that. After
the 300 hurdle win I was glad I had
accomplished all I had planned to.”
Clara, meanwhile, posted the second-
best 3,200-meter time ever for a female
WPIAL athlete. To challenge herself and
prepare for the PIAA Championships,
she trained with members of the North
Allegheny boys team. Of course, taking
on—and frequently besting—the guys
is nothing new for her. “My dad would
always run around North Park when I was
little,” she notes. “When I was in fourth
grade, I started running with him and
soon I started beating him. That’s when
I quit soccer and decided to focus on
track.”
Both athletes savored their state
titles—Ayden had a combined
championship and birthday party the
day after the meet, and Clara indulged
in a heaping helping of mint chocolate-
chip ice cream back home. But both built
on their PIAA success by competing in
national events in June.
Ayden set an all-time meet record in
the boys’ decathlon at the New Balance
Nationals Outdoor in Greensboro, North
Carolina. The decathlon is a competitive
gauntlet, featuring the 100 meters, long
jump, shot put, high-jump, 400 meters,
110-meter hurdles, discus throw, pole
vault, javelin throw and 1,500 meters.
“When performing a decathlon, the
two days of competition suck everything
out of you,” Ayden says. “I am not novice
to national competition, but when
competing with the best in America, I
have to bring my A-game every event.
It is difficult to train for all 10 events,
especially during high school season, but
my coaches and I always find a way.”
Clara finished eighth in the
3,200-meter event at the Brooks PR
Invitational in Seattle, Washington,
running a faster race (10 minutes and
19.85 seconds) than she did at the PIAA
Championships. “It was the fastest race
that I have ever run in,” she says. “You just
have to stay calm, not freak yourself out,
and push through the pain. I was out in
Seattle for three days, and it was a great
experience to talk with all of the girls and
compete against the best.”
Ayden Owens and Clara Savchik are
both focused on defending their state
titles as seniors, and are also looking
to continue their track careers beyond
graduation.
According to Neff, “Ayden and Clara
both know what it takes to be successful,
and they’re putting in the hard work all
year long. They are both kids who want to
run at the next level, and they’re going to
be able to.” ■
North Allegheny | Fall 2017 | icmags.com 41