Princeton High School senior, Claudia Saunders, has decided to matriculate and continue her running career at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. Claudia is one of the most versatile athletes in Ohio Track and Field history. Claudia has won state titles in both the 100m Hurdles (2010) and in Cross Country (2011), as well as posting competitive personal best marks in the 55/60m Hurdles (8.59/8.92), 300m Hurdles (42.54), 400m Hurdles (1:00.32), 400m Dash (56.2h), 800m Run (2:22.26 i), and the Pole Vault (10-0).
During the past Cross Country season, Claudia posted the fifth fastest time in the state for a 5K run and set the course record for the current State Championship XC Course at National Trails at 18:04.50. Claudia also qualified to the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Oregon, by finishing fifth at the NXN Midwest Regional race. For the indoor season, Claudia returns the third fastest times in the state in both the 60m Hurdles at 8.96 seconds and the 400m Dash at 58.03 seconds. Outdoors, Claudia has the seventh fastest returning time in Ohio for the 100m Hurdles (14.51), the second best returning time in the state for the 300m Hurdles (43.03), and in the 400m Hurdles, Claudia returns the fastest time in the state and ninth fastest time in the nation from her 8th place finish at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals where she crosssed the line in 1:00.32.
On a final note, Claudia has also recently been named the 2011 Ohio Gatorade Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year.
