SPU: Three-year letterwinner. ... GNAC All-Academic (2020).
Junior (2020): INDOOR -- Ran in four meets, all in the 800. … Placed 16
th at GNAC in a personal-best 2:02.15. That his previous best of 2:02.92 set on Feb. 9 at Portland Indoor Two. … Ran the 800-meter leg on the 7
th-place distance medley relay at GNAC.
OUTDOOR – Did not race at the season-opening Ed Boitano / Puget Sound Invitational. … Rest of the season canceled because of the coronavirus.
Sophomore (2019): INDOOR – Placed 20th in the 3000 meters at the GNAC Championships with a then-personal best time of 9:24.72 – which he then wiped out a week later with his first sub-9, an 8:59.40 at the SPU Final Qualifier. ... Also ran the mile at GNAC, taking 21st in 4:35.29. ... Ran in three meets.
OUTDOOR – Ran in six meets, primarily in the 1500. ... Posted a season-best time of 4:12.31 at the Ed Boitano / Puget Sound Invitational in Tacoma on March 2. ... Did the 800 twice, with a season-best 2:04.12 at the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational in Bellingham on April 27.
Freshman (2018): INDOOR – Placed 15th in the mile at GNAC in 4:31.52. ... Led off the 7th-place 4000 distance medley relay at GNAC, combining with Jesse Phan, Brysten James and Elius Graff for a 3:28.81. ... Made college track debut on Jan. 13, finishing the 800 in 2:04.56 at the UW Indoor Preview. ... Competed in one other meet.
OUTDOOR – Ran the 1500 in eight of his nine meets. ... Debuted with a 4:13.30 in the season-opening Ed Boitano Invitational at Puget Sound in Tacoma, and got that all the way down to 4:06.59 at the Western Washington Team Invitational on April 6 in Bellingham. ... Did the 800 twice, opening with a 2:06.83 at Puget Sound, and lowering that as far as 2:02.61 just three weeks later at SPU's Doris Heritage Track Classic.
Palisades Charter HS: Made it to the championship race in both the 800 and 1600 at the L.A. City Finals as a senior in 2017. Placed 6th in the 1600 with a PR time of 4:27.11, and 7th in the 800 in 2:02.64, just barely off his PR of 2:02.35 from the previous day's prelims. ... Also made the City Finals as a sophomore in 2015 as part of the 4th-place 4x800 relay team.
Personal: Benjamin Alexander Hansen. ... Art major, with an interest in photography.
Fun facts: Started running in 8th grade after having transferred to a school "where running was really popular." ...
If not for running, would focus on beach volleyball, a popular sport in Southern California. ...
Favorite sport to watch is track & field. ...
Dumbest movie he ever saw was "The Room." ...
Books he just couldn't put down were any from the "Harry Potter" series. ...
Favorite junk food is milkshakes. ...
Favorite healthy food is kale. ...
Favorite TV programs are "Black Mirror" and "Stranger Things." ... His dream car is a Tesla Model S. ... Favorite team is the Seattle Seahawks. ... Favorite athlete is Steve Prefontaine. ...
Easiest subject in school is art. ...
Toughest subject is Chemistry. ...
His pre-race rituals are eating something light (such as kale salad), listing to his pre-race play list, and occasionally having some beet juice. ...
If he could invite anyone to dinner, it would be actress Emma Watson because "she has always been my celebrity crush." He would serve sushi. ...
If he could be any action hero, he would be the Flash "so that running would be easier." ...
His friends call him Ben Handsome. ...
In 10 years, wants to be doing photography for a company such as REI or National Geographic. ... Enjoys
playing the guitar.
INDOOR PERSONAL BESTS
800: 2:02.15 (2/21/2020)
Mile: 4:29.21 (2/11/2018)
3000: 8:59.41 (2/23/2019)
OUTDOOR PERSONAL BESTS
800: 2:02.61 (3/24/2018)
1500: 4:06.59 (4/6/2018)
CAREER RESULTS
