Drew Hunter
{{short description|American middle-distance runner}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Drew Hunter
| image = Andrew Hunter at the 2025 Portland Track Festival.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Drew Hunter in 2025
| sport = Track, cross country
| event = 1500 meters, mile
| club = Asics
| birth_place = Loudoun County, Virginia, United States
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|9|5}}
| collegeteam =
| height = 5 ft 11 in
| weight = 141 lbs
| turnedpro = 2016
| retired =
| pb = 800m: 1:48.57{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/athletes/united-states/andrew-hunter-296259|work=IAAF|title=Andrew HUNTER- Athlete Profile}}
1500m: 3:34.80
Mile: 3:54.80
3000m: 7:39.85
5000m: 13:08.57
10000m: 27:24.49
| olympics =
| worlds =
| highestranking = 16th U20{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/records/toplists/middle-long/1500-metres/outdoor/men/u20/2016|title=U20 OUTDOOR 2016 1500 METRES MEN|date=December 10, 2016|access-date=December 10, 2016}}
| coachedby =
| updated = May 20, 2024
| medaltemplates =
}}
Andrew James Hunter (born September 5, 1997) is an American middle-distance runner from Purcellville, Virginia, who competes professionally for Asics. He set the national indoor mile record for high school boys in 2016.{{cite news|last1=Crouse|first1=Lindsay|title=A Quick Turnaround as Drew Hunter Breaks High School Mile Mark|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/21/sports/just-weeks-later-high-school-senior-breaks-own-indoor-mile-mark.html?_r=0|access-date=22 April 2016|work=The New York Times|date=20 February 2016}} He was named Gatorade National Cross-Country Runner of the Year in 2016.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/recruiting-insider/wp/2016/02/24/loudoun-valleys-drew-hunter-named-gatorade-national-cross-country-runner-of-the-year/|title=Loudoun Valley's Drew Hunter named Gatorade National Cross-Country Runner of the Year|last=Emert|first=Jacob|date=2016-02-24|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286|access-date=2016-04-19}} He committed to the University of Oregon on November 12, 2015{{Cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/recruiting/index.ssf/2015/11/drew_hunter_nations_top-rated.html|title=Drew Hunter, nation's top-rated distance runner, commits and signs with Oregon Ducks|website=OregonLive.com|date=13 November 2015|access-date=2016-04-26}} but instead decided to pursue a professional career by signing a 10-year contract with Adidas on July 8, 2016.{{Cite news|url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2016/07/08/drew-hunter-signs-adidas-contract-turns-professional-oregon-track|title=High School Star Drew Hunter Turns Professional, Signs with adidas|last=Chavez|first=Chris|date=2016-07-08|newspaper=Sports Illustrated|language=en-US|access-date=2016-07-09}}
Running career
= High school =
Hunter attended Loudoun Valley High School. He won the High School Boys 3000-meter race as a sophomore at the Penn Relays Carnival in 2014.{{Cite web|url=http://usatodayhss.com/2015/virginia-runner-andrew-miller-wins-mile-and-pulls-off-rare-career-double-at-penn-relays|title=Virginia runner Andrew Hunter wins mile and pulls off rare career double at Penn Relays|website=USA Today High School Sports|date=25 April 2015|language=en-US|access-date=2016-04-26}} He went on to set the national sophomore class record in the 3000 metres event at 8:16.31. In the fall of 2014, Hunter placed 4th at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships. Hunter won the New Balance National Indoor two-mile national title in a time of 8:48.22.{{Cite web|url=http://www.milesplit.com/videos/78044/champ-boys-2mile-section-2-hunter-and-thomet-848-2015-nbin|title=Champ Boys 2mile Section 2, Hunter & Thomet 8:48 - 2015 NBIN {{!}} New Balance Nationals Indoor|last=Stevenson|first=Jimmy|website=MileSplit United States|access-date=2016-04-26}} He started his outdoor season with a 4:07 victory at the Penn Relays, becoming the first high school athlete since Olympian Matt Centrowitz to own both the high school boys 3k and mile Penn Relays titles. Hunter achieved a season best of 4:02.36 at the Adidas Dream Mile at the Adidas Grand Prix.{{Cite web|url=http://www.milesplit.com/meets/197879/results/382200/formatted#.Vx7pdpMrKb8|title=Adidas Grand Prix - Adidas Dream Mile - Boys|website=MileSplit United States|access-date=2016-04-26}} He broke Grant Fisher's meet record at the Brooks PR 2-mile championship, where he set a personal best of 8:42.51 in the event.{{Cite web|url=http://www.flotrack.org/video/772697-brooks-pr-2015-boys-2-mile-hunter-takes-down-fisher-84251-9-alltime|title=Brooks PR 2015 Boy's 2 Mile (Hunter Takes down Fisher 8:42.51 #9 All-Time!)|website=FloTrack|access-date=2016-04-26}} He ended his 2015 track season with a 2nd-place finish behind collegian Blake Haney in the junior boys 1500m at the USATF Outdoor Championships, closing the last 400 meters of that race in 53.10 seconds.{{Cite web|url=http://www.letsrun.com/news/2015/06/blake-haney-takes-down-andrew-hunter-grant-fisher-to-win-usa-jr-1500-title/|title=Blake Haney Takes Down Andrew Hunter & Grant Fisher to Win USA Jr. 1500 Title - LetsRun.com|website=LetsRun.com|date=28 June 2015|language=en-US|access-date=2016-04-26}} Hunter set a personal best of 14:20 in the 5000 meters at the Third Battle Invitational. He set a course record of 14:26 at the Foot Locker South regional meet before winning his first Foot Locker National title in 14:55.7.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/recruiting-insider/wp/2016/02/24/loudoun-valleys-drew-hunter-named-gatorade-national-cross-country-runner-of-the-year/|title=Loudoun Valley's Drew Hunter named Gatorade National Cross-Country Runner of the Year|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2016-04-26}} In his indoor debut, Hunter broke the high school boys national indoor 3k record with a time of 7:59.33 at the Camel City Elite meet in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.{{Cite web|url=http://www.milesplit.com/articles/174422/drew-hunter-runs-759-3k-for-new-national-record|title=Drew Hunter Runs 7:59 3K For New National Record!|last=Young|first=Dennis|website=MileSplit United States|access-date=2016-04-26}} He followed up that performance with another national record in the high school boys indoor mile, running 3:58.25 at the Armory Track and Field Invitational.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/sports/endurance/story/_/id/14728512/drew-hunter-breaks-alan-webb-indoor-high-school-mile-record|title=Hunter's 3:58.25 mile breaks indoor HS record|website=ESPN.com|date=7 February 2016|access-date=2016-04-26}} In so doing, he became the 8th High School Athlete to break 4 minutes in the mile and the second high school athlete to break 4 indoors. Two weeks later, Hunter broke his own record, clocking 3:57.81 in the mile at the Millrose Games.
Hunter's 2016 outdoor season was also successful. He ran a 4:00.73 split in the 1600m to bring the Loudoun Valley boys the win in the DMR at the Penn Relays in 10:00.01.{{Cite web|url=https://www.flotrack.org/articles/5059098-flotracks-best-kicks-of-2016-drew-hunter-wins-penn-relays-dmr-by-a-hair|title=FloTrack's Best Kicks of 2016: Drew Hunter Wins Penn Relays DMR By A Hair!|last=Zahn|first=Jennifer|website=FloTrack|access-date=2018-09-20}} He returned to his best event, again breaking 4 minutes, running 3:58.86 at the Pre Classic.
=Professional=
In July 2016 Hunter signed a 10-year contract for Adidas.{{Cite magazine |last=Chavez |first=Chris |date=July 8, 2016 |title=High school star runner Drew Hunter turns professional, signs with adidas |url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2016/07/08/drew-hunter-signs-adidas-contract-turns-professional-oregon-track |magazine=Sports Illustrated}} On August 5, 2016, he placed 6th overall in the men's mile race at the 2016 Sir Walter Miler, finishing in 3:57.15.{{cite web |url=http://sirwaltermiler.com/results/ |title=Sir Walter Miler Results - Meredith College |date=August 5, 2016 |access-date=August 11, 2016 }} It was his first race since graduating from high school. On February 11, 2017, Hunter participated in the NYRR Millrose Games Wanamaker Mile, where he placed seventh in 3:56.80. On February 23, 2019, Hunter won the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships two mile with a meet record time of 8:25.29.{{cite web |title=United States Track and Field |url=https://usatf.org/usatf/files/6e/6e186d55-97ae-4660-9205-454d95ab3fd2.htm |website=usatf.org |access-date=2019-03-23 |archive-date=2019-04-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404003506/https://usatf.org/usatf/files/6e/6e186d55-97ae-4660-9205-454d95ab3fd2.htm |url-status=dead }} After suffering a series of injuries starting with a ruptured plantar fascia at the 2019 U.S. Track & Field Championships, Hunter did not compete in the 2020 USA Olympic Track & Field Trials. However, he returned to form later that year, winning the USA Road 5k Championships on November 6, 2021, in a time of 13:53. Hunter was also notable in the Loudoun Valley and Stone Bridge Highschool Track Programs, having great influences on all of those in the programs.
Personal life
Hunter is the fourth of nine children in his family. Five of his siblings are adopted; two from Haiti and three from China. His father and mother are both also runners. His father, Marc Hunter, was a national-class distance runner for Cleveland State University, owner of a personal best of 13:36 for 5000 meters.{{Cite journal|date=October 6, 2012|title=2012 Legends Meet|url=http://www.baumspage.com/cc/legends/2012/Legends%20Meet%20Information.pdf|journal=Maplewood High School|access-date=April 25, 2016}} His mother, Joan Hunter ran at West Virginia University and has won multiple masters indoor national titles.{{Cite web |url=http://www.letsrun.com/news/2016/02/meet-elementary-school-pe-teacher-mastermind-behind-americas-greatest-prep-distance-runner/ |title=Meet The Elementary School PE Teacher Who Is The Mastermind Behind America's Greatest Prep Distance Runner |website=LetsRun.com |date=4 February 2016 |language=en-US |access-date=26 April 2016 }} Marc and Joan coached Alan Webb during his freshman year at South Lakes High School in Reston, Virginia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2016/02/06/drew-hunter-alan-webb-indoor-mile-record-sub-four|title=Drew Hunter breaks Alan Webb's indoor mile record|last=Chavez|first=Chris|website=si.com|date=6 February 2016 |access-date=26 April 2016}}
Hunter is currently{{When|date=January 2022}} completing his undergraduate degree at University of Colorado Boulder.{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}
Race results table
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Footer US NC 5K run Men}}
{{USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners in men's 3000 m}}
{{Gatorade National Cross Country Athletes of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter, Drew}}
Category:American male long-distance runners
Category:Sportspeople from Virginia
Category:People from Purcellville, Virginia
Category:Sportspeople from Loudoun County, Virginia