GIDABUDAY DOMINATES PREPS AT PRIDE OF THE VALLEY.

 (August 3, 2013) — Sydney Gidabuday, the talented star from El Modena High who enjoyed a stunning breakthrough last track season, has continued his progress in cross country here in the United States, as evidenced by his showing at Saturday's Pride of the Valley 5K Run in Baldwin Park.

      Gidabuday covered the flat and very fast layout through city streets in a time of 14:40, good enough to place fifth overall and easily emerging as the fastest prep. The only ones to beat him included 2011 World Track and Field Championships steeplechase qualifier Ben Bruce (14:08), the Adams State teammate tandem of David Sanchez and Jovanny Godinez (the latter a 2009 graduate from San Fernando HS in the Los Angeles City Section, and UC Santa Barbara product Aaron Sharp.

      Gidabuday, who PR'ed at 3200 meters at the Southern Section Masters Meet in 9:06.24 and ran a personal best 4:12.43 for 1600 meters the weekend before that, is the son of former Tanzanian distance standout Wilhelm Gidabuday, who achieved much success in road races in his prime.
     Here, the younger Gidabuday finished a full 45 seconds ahead of the next fastest prep, that being Don Bosco's Ruben Dominguez (15:25). Great Oak sophomores Tony Robinson and Isaac Cortes were the two additional high schoolers placing in the Top 10, Robinson claiming eighth in 15:26 and Cortes tenth in 15:47.
     Great Oak took top individual prep honors on the girls side while capturing team titles in both genders as well.
    Great Oak senior Chrissy Calain clocked 18:14 to rank as the top female teenager in the race while besting teammate Kelly Thomas and Baldwin Park High's Susie Garza, who both clocked 18:29.
      Great Oak's boys scorers gapped 37 seconds and won the team-time title over Baldwin Park by more than three minutes ((79:01 to 82:19) while its defending state Division I champion girls squad won by nearly ten minutes over Bonita. Very impressive — especially considering that four of Great Oak's top five reportedly ran elsewhere at a race they'd previously signed up for! 

By Rich Gonzalez
Editor, PrepCalTrack.com
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