Irvine’s Bassani Lapping Up Style Points From Johnson

Mario Bassani looks like a different runner this season.

He runs more calmly now.

Quieter.

Faster.

The final straightaway of the 400 meters used to be an uphill battle for Bassani, but now the Irvine senior could probably go another lap.

“If you would have seen me last year, it’s such a difference,” Bassani said. “I really had to struggle the last 100 meters.”

Bassani has emerged as one of the state’s top 400 runners this season, using a more refined technique in the opening half of the race to conserve energy toward the end.

That strategy seems to be paying off.

Bassani won the event in 48.66 seconds at the Irvine Invitational two weeks ago, then ran a 48.5 hand time on the same track March 22 against Newport Harbor.

Those times were the fastest by a county runner since Garden Grove’s Kevin Griswold went 48.09 in 1996.

“He’s running like a bullet,” said Fred Bosley, who shares the Irvine coaching duties with Harry Meter.

It’s no coincidence Bassani’s running style is similar to that of Michael Johnson, the world-record holder in the 200 and 400 meters whom Bassani met last summer while attending the Olympic trials in Sacramento.

Bassani has closely studied Johnson’s style, comparing his tapes with those of the five-time Olympic gold medalist. Bassani appreciates the way Johnson conserves energy for the closing sprint.

“His style is just so much more efficient,” Bassani said.

Bassani keeps his waist and hips stationary as he churns through the opening curve and down the backstretch. His arms pump harder as he heads into the final curve, where he switches into a dead sprint for the final straightaway.

Newport Harbor’s John Peschelt, who finished second to Bassani on March 22, can see a difference from a year ago.

“He’s maintaining his speed, big time,” Peschelt said. “He was even accelerating at 300 meters.”

The last county runner to finish under 48 seconds during the high school season was Paul Peters of Santa Ana Valley, who ran 47.34 in 1987. Bassani would like to crack that barrier and should have several good opportunities in the coming weeks.

He’ll compete twice on the all-weather track at Trabuco Hills, Saturday at the Trabuco Hills Invitational and April 7 at the Orange County Championships, and will face some of the nation’s best competition in the open 400 at the Arcadia Invitational April 14.

Bassani also ran a personal-best 21.9 in the 200 against Newport Harbor, and plans to try for an Orange County title in that event.

He thinks he could be one of the county’s top 100-meter runners as well, but doesn’t want to risk injury.

“I don’t think I’ve really shown my potential for speed,” Bassani said. “I could hurt some people in the 100.”

ZIEMANN TO SIT OUT SEASON

Edison junior Bianca Ziemann, a state finalist in the high jump the last two seasons, will skip track season to recover from an ankle injury suffered at the end of basketball season, her mother, Therese, said.

Ziemann, who finished second in the state and Southern Section Division I as a freshman, twisted her ankle during a Sunset League game in February, but continued to play on it, Therese said, which caused further injury.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Trabuco Hills Invitational and Tustin Relays highlight this weekend’s action.

The Trabuco Hills Invitational begins at 8 a.m. Saturday and will feature more than 1,000 athletes from 72 schools.

Highlighting the girls’ competition is the 1,600 at 11:15 a.m. This race will feature Corona del Mar’s Julie Allen, a recent transfer from Fountain Valley, against former teammates Bethany Nickless and Roseanne Peters. Also entered are Corona del Mar’s Diana Hossfeld, Woodbridge’s Jessica Kanin, Rosary’s Christy Arnerich, University’s Shey Manafian and Brea Olinda’s Jenny Thune.

The boys’ discus, which begins at 2 p.m., will feature county leader Brian Ruziecki of Huntington Beach, Valencia’s Nick Woloshun and Esperanza’s Rick Fry and Matt Plowman.

Running events for the Tustin Relays begin Saturday at 8:30 a.m. at Santa Ana College. Participating teams include Edison, El Toro, Esperanza, Foothill, Santa Ana and Valencia.

Field events take place today at Tustin High beginning at 2:30 p.m. Tustin high jumper Alex Marbley has cleared a state-leading 6-10 this season.

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