STILL WORTH WATCHING : Five Years Later, These Athletes Are Fulfilling Their Early Promise : Martin Brix

Adjusting to high school running has been easy for Brix, but adjusting to life in the United States after a two-year sojourn in Norway is another story.

Brix came on the scene in 1990, when he placed eighth in the Midget division (ages 11-12) at the National Junior Olympic Cross-Country Championships at Omaha, Neb. A few months later, he won the Midget division 1,500 and 3,000 meters at the TAC national championships at Lafayette, La.

But soon after that auspicious debut, Brix moved to Oslo, Norway, after his father Bjarne was transferred there for his job as a software engineer. Brix trained moderately during his two years in Oslo, running short distances with a local track club.

Brix returned to the United States and enrolled as a freshman at University High last spring. This fall in cross-country, Brix won the Division II sophomore race at the Dana Hills Invitational and had the fastest time by a county athlete, finishing second in 15:25, at the Central Park Invitational.

Brix, 16, placed second in the Pacific Coast League finals, one second behind teammate Richard Chow. In the Southern Section II-AA preliminary race in November, Brix beat Chow and finished third, but he had an off day at the II-AA final and finished a disappointing 31st.

Brix said that he was worn out by the end of cross-country season, but that he is looking forward to the distance events in track this spring.

“I really love track, so I hope to do well,” he said.