Some high school students must wait years before appearing in the spotlight, but freshman Muhamed Bicic has already earned the title of fastest freshman in the city.
Despite having no cross country experience before, he has quickly adjusted. He is the fastest freshman the boys track team has, as well the school record holder for the freshman 1.5 mile and the freshman 5k (3.1 miles). Muhamed has also earned the position of fifth-fastest freshman in cross country of all time in New York City. He’s also the proud owner of ten medals. One gold medal comes from the freshman 1.5 mile at he City Championships.
Senior captain Kyle Su praised Muhamed for his contributions: “There’s no other freshman in the school who can claim as many accomplishments. He was our second fastest runner at City Champs. Without him, we would’ve fallen back several places in the final rankings.”
Prior to high school, he played baseball, basketball and soccer. Although he initially joined cross country to train for the boys basketball team, he is adamant on continuing track.
In spite of his successes, Muhamed also had his share of struggles. At the first meet at Van Cortlandt Park, he was unable to finish the race after running only 800 meters. He felt as if he let his team down, but he credits his teammates for supporting him through adversity.
“What motivates me is that my competitors are going through the same thing. If they can do it, why can’t I?” he said.
Coach George Rio stated, “He has the potential to go far. He has to be smart about racing and that comes with experience.”
Muhamed thinks indoor will be his favorite season because they get to choose their events and avoid the bad weather.
He considers himself a mid-distance runner, and plans to do the mile, the 4×800 relay, and the 1000m. The mile is his favorite event: “Unlike any other event, it’s both speed and endurance. I feel like I have a little of both.”
Muhamed remains motivated, remembering the quotation senior captain Brian Van shared: “Defeat is not defeat unless accepted as a reality in your own mind.” He reflected upon it, saying, “I make sure to run smart and dedicate myself.”
