06/21/2009

Fred Taylor has spent his whole life overcoming adversity, so adding one more race to his track repertoire should not have complicated things.

While it turned out to be more difficult than Taylor had anticipated, once again the Maplewood senior found a way to come out on top. Taylor successfully defended his sprint titles in the Class 2 state meet and then added a first-place finish in the 400-meter dash.

"It was way harder than I thought," said Taylor, who copes with asthma every time he steps onto the track. "The (400-meter relay) and then the 400 back-to-back, I didn't have a chance to catch my breath."

Taylor, who not only won four gold medals but was key in helping the Blue Devils win the Class 2 team title, is the Post-Dispatch boys track athlete of the year.

Taylor successfully defended his 100-meter dash title in 10.85 after hitting a low of 10.6 during the regular season. He also repeated his 200-meter dash title in 22.10 after setting a Class 2 record of 21.87 during the prelims.

Then it was time for Taylor to tackle the 400-meter dash. He had not raced in the event prior to this season, opting to stick to the two sprint relays.

"My summer coach kept pushing me to run it," Taylor said. "I wanted a challenge and to push myself. I already had a medal in the (800-meter relay), and at college they'll make me run the 400 anyway."

Immediately after anchoring the winning 400-meter relay (43.01), Taylor got right back in the blocks and won the 400 in a personal-best time of 49.08.

"That 400 he pulled at state, he said he didn't know he had that in him," Maplewood coach Brandon Gregory said.

But Gregory wasn't surprised. He had seen Taylor handle the loss of his mother and keep pushing forward to become the foundation for his family. He had witnessed Taylor survive a transition to life with his new family at Joe's Place, a home for Maplewood students who no longer have a home of their own. And he watched Taylor overcome his daily battle with asthma.

"He knows how to deal with it and doesn't use it as an excuse," Gregory said. "He used to be more laid back and worry about himself. He saw the success we could have and coached the young guys and prevailed as more of a leader."

Taylor has continued to push forward no matter the obstacle, and he said he knows it has all led him to this current moment when he can relish in his successes and just take a deep breath. And he can relax knowing his younger brother Ty're will be OK at Joe's Place.

"It's been preparing me for this day for a long time," said Taylor, who will run for Rend Lake College in Illinois next year. "I know my brother is in a safe place, and I know I can just go to college and be a kid for the first time."