David Klech
California High School
Impact Statement
“He’s wired differently than 99 percent of the other athletes out there.” -Mark Karbo,
California High School T&F Head Coach
Biography
Some consider the 6-foot-4 Klech the most versatile track athlete to come out of California since Olympic decathlon champions Bob Mathias (1948 and 1952) and Rafer Johnson (1960).
Last year, Klech won the state 300-meter hurdles title in 36.06 – the nation’s second-fastest time – and finished second in the 110 hurdles and third in the long jump. He also has cleared seven feet in the high jump. In April, Klech, the Nike Indoor Championship pentathlon gold medalist this year, won the 400 hurdles in the Stanford Invitational in a state-record 50.35 – the third-fastest time by any American this year – to earn Athlete of the Week honors from American Track and Field – Athletes Only magazine.
The UCLA recruit became the fourth Californian to win three boys events – and the first since 1967 – at the 2006 CIF Championships. He won the 300-meter hurdles with a 35.87 time.
Klech went on to attend UCLA his freshman year. He transferred to the University of Oregon for his last three seasons. He was named All Academic Team in 2009, 2010, and 2011. He was also the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America Men’s Track & Field/Cross Country First Team honoree.
As a senior, Klech finished 16th at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the decathlon. He also took 6th in the heptathlon during the Indoor Track Championships.
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