New Trier’s Albert Yen (right), seen here cruising to a sectional win the 110-meter high hurdles on May 17, earned two state medals at the Class 3A state meet. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER
Albert Yen made it clear — moments after winning the 300-meter intermediate hurdles at the Class 3A Loyola Academy Sectional on May 14 — that he would not compete in track and field in college.
Maybe he should reconsider.
Hurdles are not barriers for this kid.
The New Trier senior came up with a standout performance at the state meet in Charleston on May 26.
The 5-foot-11, 160-pound Yen cruised to a third-place finish in the 300 hurdles in a PR time of 38.21.
Earlier in the day, Yen placed sixth in the 110 high hurdles (14.49). In Friday’s prelims, he clocked a career-best of 14.38.
Yen, who possesses flawless form, simply lived up to his own expectations on the blue track at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien’s Stadium. At last year’s showcase meet, he placed eighth in the 300 (38.8) and 10th in the 110.
In fact, after his double win at the sectional, he predicted a top-5 finish at state.
“Nobody’s going to stop me,” said Yen, fielding questions near the finish line at the sectional meet. “I feel real confident about it.”
Yen also is real confident about his future. Son of a doctor, he will attend the University of Illinois at Chicago in the fall and study medicine.
“The medical program at UIC will be challenging,” said Yen, who has been a volunteer at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston for the past two years. “I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to try and jam track into my schedule.”
