When Abdinasir Hassan set a record while sick, the rest of Colorado’s cross-country field should’ve known it was in trouble.
Heading into the Liberty Bell Invitational on Sept. 5, Hassan was battling illness and initially decided to abandon his strategy of coming out and running an aggressive race in the marquee early-season cross-country meet.
But Hassan’s plan to run the race “with an honest pace” quickly flew out the window. Adrenaline and natural talent took over in a performance that foreshadowed the Northfield junior claiming the Class 5A state championship on Saturday at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.
“The day before the Liberty Bell, I was feeling awful — my stomach was hurting, I had a headache, and I stayed home from school for a little bit,” Hassan recalled. “Then I came into the race and felt amazing. The race plan did change a little bit, and I just went out there and completely dominated.
“I felt amazing that last mile. I knew that I wasn’t going all out (at the start of the race). So I absolutely ripped it. It showed me that I’m in amazing shape. It showed me that even if I wasn’t 100% healthy, nothing could hold me back.”
With about a 4:20 pace over his final mile, Hassan shattered the Liberty Bell all-time record with a mark of 14:24.56, breaking the 14:30.1 record of ex-Cherry Creek star and current pro runner Parker Wolfe.
That dominance held through the state meet, when Hassan ran 14:56.41, a Class 5A course record that was nearly 15 seconds faster than runner-up Jude Ritzenhein, a sophomore from Niwot.
Hassan’s performance this season underscored his rapid, remarkable rise in running, which began as a freshman after he traded soccer, basketball, and football for a full-time pursuit of cross-country and track.

As a freshman at Rangeview, Hassan finished 103rd at the state meet with a time north of 17 minutes. At state track that spring, he placed in the top 10 in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter events. He then sat out his sophomore year of CHSAA competition due to transfer rules after enrolling at Northfield.
But Northfield cross-country and track coach Joey Bender knew he had talent on his hands at a JV meet in Portland last year, when Hassan dusted the competition and showed the same mentality that led to his breakout on the high school scene this fall.
“His time was great and he dropped the field, but what stood out more so was his fearlessness when he was racing,” Bender said.
Northfield’s Abdinasir Hassan (121) throttles down as he crosses the finish line to win first place during the Class 5A boys state championship race on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
Hassan continued to prove himself in last year’s club track season while running for the Great Strides Track Club. At premier national meets, he set national sophomore records in the mile (4:00.90 in St. Louis. He also won the Nike Outdoor Nationals title in a time of 4:01.88), plus the 3,200 (8:43.03) and 5K (13:52.31).

By the time he dominated the Liberty Bell in early September, he was primed for more startling progression.
“The track season really opened my eyes and told me that I could really be one of the best in the country, if I continued to train hard and trusted the plan that was given to me,” Hassan said.
Big-time college coaches are taking notice.
Top programs such as Oregon, Florida, Northern Arizona, Virginia, Oregon State, North Carolina, Arkansas and Alabama are interested in Hassan. He will take official visits this winter and next spring and expects offers to start piling up alongside those visits. He plans to make his college decision early in his senior year.
Related Articles

Coronado’s Oliver Horton breaks his own course record to claim second straight 4A cross-country title

PHOTOS: 2026 Colorado high school cross-country state championships

But the 17-year-old still has much he wants to accomplish before going to the next level and ultimately reaching for his dream of turning pro.
While Hassan will be a presumptive favorite at this spring’s Class 5A state track meet in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meters, he is eying Colorado records in the first two events (times of 1:48.50 and 4:04.36, respectively, both set by Mountain Vista’s Harrison Witt in 2021) and another state record in the 3,200 (8:55.94 set by Wolfe).
Hassan’s goal for next cross-country season is not only to repeat as the Class 5A state champion, but also to break the all-classification meet mark of 14:40.52 set on Saturday by Coronado senior Oliver Horton. Bender says running in the afternoon, in the warmest race of the day Saturday, and without anyone to push him down the stretch made it hard to beat Horton’s record time from that morning.
The junior says he wants to “to be remembered as one of the best runners in Colorado history.”
“I was really happy that he grinded it out and just pushed through to win on Saturday, in a race that (he and I) would grade him at about a B,” Bender said. “… Looking ahead, the big dream for the next two years is to end with the overall high school national records.”

Heading into the Liberty Bell Invitational on Sept. 5, Hassan was battling illness and initially decided to abandon his strategy of coming out and running an aggressive race in the marquee early-season cross-country meet.
But Hassan’s plan to run the race “with an honest pace” quickly flew out the window. Adrenaline and natural talent took over in a performance that foreshadowed the Northfield junior claiming the Class 5A state championship on Saturday at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.
“The day before the Liberty Bell, I was feeling awful — my stomach was hurting, I had a headache, and I stayed home from school for a little bit,” Hassan recalled. “Then I came into the race and felt amazing. The race plan did change a little bit, and I just went out there and completely dominated.
“I felt amazing that last mile. I knew that I wasn’t going all out (at the start of the race). So I absolutely ripped it. It showed me that I’m in amazing shape. It showed me that even if I wasn’t 100% healthy, nothing could hold me back.”
With about a 4:20 pace over his final mile, Hassan shattered the Liberty Bell all-time record with a mark of 14:24.56, breaking the 14:30.1 record of ex-Cherry Creek star and current pro runner Parker Wolfe.
That dominance held through the state meet, when Hassan ran 14:56.41, a Class 5A course record that was nearly 15 seconds faster than runner-up Jude Ritzenhein, a sophomore from Niwot.
Hassan’s performance this season underscored his rapid, remarkable rise in running, which began as a freshman after he traded soccer, basketball, and football for a full-time pursuit of cross-country and track.

As a freshman at Rangeview, Hassan finished 103rd at the state meet with a time north of 17 minutes. At state track that spring, he placed in the top 10 in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter events. He then sat out his sophomore year of CHSAA competition due to transfer rules after enrolling at Northfield.
But Northfield cross-country and track coach Joey Bender knew he had talent on his hands at a JV meet in Portland last year, when Hassan dusted the competition and showed the same mentality that led to his breakout on the high school scene this fall.
“His time was great and he dropped the field, but what stood out more so was his fearlessness when he was racing,” Bender said.
Northfield’s Abdinasir Hassan (121) throttles down as he crosses the finish line to win first place during the Class 5A boys state championship race on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
Hassan continued to prove himself in last year’s club track season while running for the Great Strides Track Club. At premier national meets, he set national sophomore records in the mile (4:00.90 in St. Louis. He also won the Nike Outdoor Nationals title in a time of 4:01.88), plus the 3,200 (8:43.03) and 5K (13:52.31).

By the time he dominated the Liberty Bell in early September, he was primed for more startling progression.
“The track season really opened my eyes and told me that I could really be one of the best in the country, if I continued to train hard and trusted the plan that was given to me,” Hassan said.
Big-time college coaches are taking notice.
Top programs such as Oregon, Florida, Northern Arizona, Virginia, Oregon State, North Carolina, Arkansas and Alabama are interested in Hassan. He will take official visits this winter and next spring and expects offers to start piling up alongside those visits. He plans to make his college decision early in his senior year.
Related Articles

Coronado’s Oliver Horton breaks his own course record to claim second straight 4A cross-country title

PHOTOS: 2026 Colorado high school cross-country state championships

But the 17-year-old still has much he wants to accomplish before going to the next level and ultimately reaching for his dream of turning pro.
While Hassan will be a presumptive favorite at this spring’s Class 5A state track meet in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meters, he is eying Colorado records in the first two events (times of 1:48.50 and 4:04.36, respectively, both set by Mountain Vista’s Harrison Witt in 2021) and another state record in the 3,200 (8:55.94 set by Wolfe).
Hassan’s goal for next cross-country season is not only to repeat as the Class 5A state champion, but also to break the all-classification meet mark of 14:40.52 set on Saturday by Coronado senior Oliver Horton. Bender says running in the afternoon, in the warmest race of the day Saturday, and without anyone to push him down the stretch made it hard to beat Horton’s record time from that morning.
The junior says he wants to “to be remembered as one of the best runners in Colorado history.”
“I was really happy that he grinded it out and just pushed through to win on Saturday, in a race that (he and I) would grade him at about a B,” Bender said. “… Looking ahead, the big dream for the next two years is to end with the overall high school national records.”

But Hassan’s plan to run the race “with an honest pace” quickly flew out the window. Adrenaline and natural talent took over in a performance that foreshadowed the Northfield junior claiming the Class 5A state championship on Saturday at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.
“The day before the Liberty Bell, I was feeling awful — my stomach was hurting, I had a headache, and I stayed home from school for a little bit,” Hassan recalled. “Then I came into the race and felt amazing. The race plan did change a little bit, and I just went out there and completely dominated.
“I felt amazing that last mile. I knew that I wasn’t going all out (at the start of the race). So I absolutely ripped it. It showed me that I’m in amazing shape. It showed me that even if I wasn’t 100% healthy, nothing could hold me back.”
With about a 4:20 pace over his final mile, Hassan shattered the Liberty Bell all-time record with a mark of 14:24.56, breaking the 14:30.1 record of ex-Cherry Creek star and current pro runner Parker Wolfe.
That dominance held through the state meet, when Hassan ran 14:56.41, a Class 5A course record that was nearly 15 seconds faster than runner-up Jude Ritzenhein, a sophomore from Niwot.
Hassan’s performance this season underscored his rapid, remarkable rise in running, which began as a freshman after he traded soccer, basketball, and football for a full-time pursuit of cross-country and track.

As a freshman at Rangeview, Hassan finished 103rd at the state meet with a time north of 17 minutes. At state track that spring, he placed in the top 10 in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter events. He then sat out his sophomore year of CHSAA competition due to transfer rules after enrolling at Northfield.
But Northfield cross-country and track coach Joey Bender knew he had talent on his hands at a JV meet in Portland last year, when Hassan dusted the competition and showed the same mentality that led to his breakout on the high school scene this fall.
“His time was great and he dropped the field, but what stood out more so was his fearlessness when he was racing,” Bender said.
Northfield’s Abdinasir Hassan (121) throttles down as he crosses the finish line to win first place during the Class 5A boys state championship race on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
Hassan continued to prove himself in last year’s club track season while running for the Great Strides Track Club. At premier national meets, he set national sophomore records in the mile (4:00.90 in St. Louis. He also won the Nike Outdoor Nationals title in a time of 4:01.88), plus the 3,200 (8:43.03) and 5K (13:52.31).

By the time he dominated the Liberty Bell in early September, he was primed for more startling progression.
“The track season really opened my eyes and told me that I could really be one of the best in the country, if I continued to train hard and trusted the plan that was given to me,” Hassan said.
Big-time college coaches are taking notice.
Top programs such as Oregon, Florida, Northern Arizona, Virginia, Oregon State, North Carolina, Arkansas and Alabama are interested in Hassan. He will take official visits this winter and next spring and expects offers to start piling up alongside those visits. He plans to make his college decision early in his senior year.
Related Articles

Coronado’s Oliver Horton breaks his own course record to claim second straight 4A cross-country title

PHOTOS: 2026 Colorado high school cross-country state championships

But the 17-year-old still has much he wants to accomplish before going to the next level and ultimately reaching for his dream of turning pro.
While Hassan will be a presumptive favorite at this spring’s Class 5A state track meet in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meters, he is eying Colorado records in the first two events (times of 1:48.50 and 4:04.36, respectively, both set by Mountain Vista’s Harrison Witt in 2021) and another state record in the 3,200 (8:55.94 set by Wolfe).
Hassan’s goal for next cross-country season is not only to repeat as the Class 5A state champion, but also to break the all-classification meet mark of 14:40.52 set on Saturday by Coronado senior Oliver Horton. Bender says running in the afternoon, in the warmest race of the day Saturday, and without anyone to push him down the stretch made it hard to beat Horton’s record time from that morning.
The junior says he wants to “to be remembered as one of the best runners in Colorado history.”
“I was really happy that he grinded it out and just pushed through to win on Saturday, in a race that (he and I) would grade him at about a B,” Bender said. “… Looking ahead, the big dream for the next two years is to end with the overall high school national records.”

“The day before the Liberty Bell, I was feeling awful — my stomach was hurting, I had a headache, and I stayed home from school for a little bit,” Hassan recalled. “Then I came into the race and felt amazing. The race plan did change a little bit, and I just went out there and completely dominated.

“I felt amazing that last mile. I knew that I wasn’t going all out (at the start of the race). So I absolutely ripped it. It showed me that I’m in amazing shape. It showed me that even if I wasn’t 100% healthy, nothing could hold me back.”

With about a 4:20 pace over his final mile, Hassan shattered the Liberty Bell all-time record with a mark of 14:24.56, breaking the 14:30.1 record of ex-Cherry Creek star and current pro runner Parker Wolfe.
That dominance held through the state meet, when Hassan ran 14:56.41, a Class 5A course record that was nearly 15 seconds faster than runner-up Jude Ritzenhein, a sophomore from Niwot.
Hassan’s performance this season underscored his rapid, remarkable rise in running, which began as a freshman after he traded soccer, basketball, and football for a full-time pursuit of cross-country and track.

As a freshman at Rangeview, Hassan finished 103rd at the state meet with a time north of 17 minutes. At state track that spring, he placed in the top 10 in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter events. He then sat out his sophomore year of CHSAA competition due to transfer rules after enrolling at Northfield.
But Northfield cross-country and track coach Joey Bender knew he had talent on his hands at a JV meet in Portland last year, when Hassan dusted the competition and showed the same mentality that led to his breakout on the high school scene this fall.
“His time was great and he dropped the field, but what stood out more so was his fearlessness when he was racing,” Bender said.
Northfield’s Abdinasir Hassan (121) throttles down as he crosses the finish line to win first place during the Class 5A boys state championship race on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
Hassan continued to prove himself in last year’s club track season while running for the Great Strides Track Club. At premier national meets, he set national sophomore records in the mile (4:00.90 in St. Louis. He also won the Nike Outdoor Nationals title in a time of 4:01.88), plus the 3,200 (8:43.03) and 5K (13:52.31).

By the time he dominated the Liberty Bell in early September, he was primed for more startling progression.
“The track season really opened my eyes and told me that I could really be one of the best in the country, if I continued to train hard and trusted the plan that was given to me,” Hassan said.
Big-time college coaches are taking notice.
Top programs such as Oregon, Florida, Northern Arizona, Virginia, Oregon State, North Carolina, Arkansas and Alabama are interested in Hassan. He will take official visits this winter and next spring and expects offers to start piling up alongside those visits. He plans to make his college decision early in his senior year.
Related Articles

Coronado’s Oliver Horton breaks his own course record to claim second straight 4A cross-country title

PHOTOS: 2026 Colorado high school cross-country state championships

But the 17-year-old still has much he wants to accomplish before going to the next level and ultimately reaching for his dream of turning pro.
While Hassan will be a presumptive favorite at this spring’s Class 5A state track meet in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meters, he is eying Colorado records in the first two events (times of 1:48.50 and 4:04.36, respectively, both set by Mountain Vista’s Harrison Witt in 2021) and another state record in the 3,200 (8:55.94 set by Wolfe).
Hassan’s goal for next cross-country season is not only to repeat as the Class 5A state champion, but also to break the all-classification meet mark of 14:40.52 set on Saturday by Coronado senior Oliver Horton. Bender says running in the afternoon, in the warmest race of the day Saturday, and without anyone to push him down the stretch made it hard to beat Horton’s record time from that morning.
The junior says he wants to “to be remembered as one of the best runners in Colorado history.”
“I was really happy that he grinded it out and just pushed through to win on Saturday, in a race that (he and I) would grade him at about a B,” Bender said. “… Looking ahead, the big dream for the next two years is to end with the overall high school national records.”

That dominance held through the state meet, when Hassan ran 14:56.41, a Class 5A course record that was nearly 15 seconds faster than runner-up Jude Ritzenhein, a sophomore from Niwot.
Hassan’s performance this season underscored his rapid, remarkable rise in running, which began as a freshman after he traded soccer, basketball, and football for a full-time pursuit of cross-country and track.

As a freshman at Rangeview, Hassan finished 103rd at the state meet with a time north of 17 minutes. At state track that spring, he placed in the top 10 in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter events. He then sat out his sophomore year of CHSAA competition due to transfer rules after enrolling at Northfield.
But Northfield cross-country and track coach Joey Bender knew he had talent on his hands at a JV meet in Portland last year, when Hassan dusted the competition and showed the same mentality that led to his breakout on the high school scene this fall.
“His time was great and he dropped the field, but what stood out more so was his fearlessness when he was racing,” Bender said.
Northfield’s Abdinasir Hassan (121) throttles down as he crosses the finish line to win first place during the Class 5A boys state championship race on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
Hassan continued to prove himself in last year’s club track season while running for the Great Strides Track Club. At premier national meets, he set national sophomore records in the mile (4:00.90 in St. Louis. He also won the Nike Outdoor Nationals title in a time of 4:01.88), plus the 3,200 (8:43.03) and 5K (13:52.31).

By the time he dominated the Liberty Bell in early September, he was primed for more startling progression.
“The track season really opened my eyes and told me that I could really be one of the best in the country, if I continued to train hard and trusted the plan that was given to me,” Hassan said.
Big-time college coaches are taking notice.
Top programs such as Oregon, Florida, Northern Arizona, Virginia, Oregon State, North Carolina, Arkansas and Alabama are interested in Hassan. He will take official visits this winter and next spring and expects offers to start piling up alongside those visits. He plans to make his college decision early in his senior year.
Related Articles

Coronado’s Oliver Horton breaks his own course record to claim second straight 4A cross-country title

PHOTOS: 2026 Colorado high school cross-country state championships

But the 17-year-old still has much he wants to accomplish before going to the next level and ultimately reaching for his dream of turning pro.
While Hassan will be a presumptive favorite at this spring’s Class 5A state track meet in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meters, he is eying Colorado records in the first two events (times of 1:48.50 and 4:04.36, respectively, both set by Mountain Vista’s Harrison Witt in 2021) and another state record in the 3,200 (8:55.94 set by Wolfe).
Hassan’s goal for next cross-country season is not only to repeat as the Class 5A state champion, but also to break the all-classification meet mark of 14:40.52 set on Saturday by Coronado senior Oliver Horton. Bender says running in the afternoon, in the warmest race of the day Saturday, and without anyone to push him down the stretch made it hard to beat Horton’s record time from that morning.
The junior says he wants to “to be remembered as one of the best runners in Colorado history.”
“I was really happy that he grinded it out and just pushed through to win on Saturday, in a race that (he and I) would grade him at about a B,” Bender said. “… Looking ahead, the big dream for the next two years is to end with the overall high school national records.”

Hassan’s performance this season underscored his rapid, remarkable rise in running, which began as a freshman after he traded soccer, basketball, and football for a full-time pursuit of cross-country and track.

As a freshman at Rangeview, Hassan finished 103rd at the state meet with a time north of 17 minutes. At state track that spring, he placed in the top 10 in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter events. He then sat out his sophomore year of CHSAA competition due to transfer rules after enrolling at Northfield.
But Northfield cross-country and track coach Joey Bender knew he had talent on his hands at a JV meet in Portland last year, when Hassan dusted the competition and showed the same mentality that led to his breakout on the high school scene this fall.
“His time was great and he dropped the field, but what stood out more so was his fearlessness when he was racing,” Bender said.
Northfield’s Abdinasir Hassan (121) throttles down as he crosses the finish line to win first place during the Class 5A boys state championship race on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
Hassan continued to prove himself in last year’s club track season while running for the Great Strides Track Club. At premier national meets, he set national sophomore records in the mile (4:00.90 in St. Louis. He also won the Nike Outdoor Nationals title in a time of 4:01.88), plus the 3,200 (8:43.03) and 5K (13:52.31).

By the time he dominated the Liberty Bell in early September, he was primed for more startling progression.
“The track season really opened my eyes and told me that I could really be one of the best in the country, if I continued to train hard and trusted the plan that was given to me,” Hassan said.
Big-time college coaches are taking notice.
Top programs such as Oregon, Florida, Northern Arizona, Virginia, Oregon State, North Carolina, Arkansas and Alabama are interested in Hassan. He will take official visits this winter and next spring and expects offers to start piling up alongside those visits. He plans to make his college decision early in his senior year.
Related Articles

Coronado’s Oliver Horton breaks his own course record to claim second straight 4A cross-country title

PHOTOS: 2026 Colorado high school cross-country state championships

But the 17-year-old still has much he wants to accomplish before going to the next level and ultimately reaching for his dream of turning pro.
While Hassan will be a presumptive favorite at this spring’s Class 5A state track meet in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meters, he is eying Colorado records in the first two events (times of 1:48.50 and 4:04.36, respectively, both set by Mountain Vista’s Harrison Witt in 2021) and another state record in the 3,200 (8:55.94 set by Wolfe).
Hassan’s goal for next cross-country season is not only to repeat as the Class 5A state champion, but also to break the all-classification meet mark of 14:40.52 set on Saturday by Coronado senior Oliver Horton. Bender says running in the afternoon, in the warmest race of the day Saturday, and without anyone to push him down the stretch made it hard to beat Horton’s record time from that morning.
The junior says he wants to “to be remembered as one of the best runners in Colorado history.”
“I was really happy that he grinded it out and just pushed through to win on Saturday, in a race that (he and I) would grade him at about a B,” Bender said. “… Looking ahead, the big dream for the next two years is to end with the overall high school national records.”

As a freshman at Rangeview, Hassan finished 103rd at the state meet with a time north of 17 minutes. At state track that spring, he placed in the top 10 in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter events. He then sat out his sophomore year of CHSAA competition due to transfer rules after enrolling at Northfield.
But Northfield cross-country and track coach Joey Bender knew he had talent on his hands at a JV meet in Portland last year, when Hassan dusted the competition and showed the same mentality that led to his breakout on the high school scene this fall.
“His time was great and he dropped the field, but what stood out more so was his fearlessness when he was racing,” Bender said.
Northfield’s Abdinasir Hassan (121) throttles down as he crosses the finish line to win first place during the Class 5A boys state championship race on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
Hassan continued to prove himself in last year’s club track season while running for the Great Strides Track Club. At premier national meets, he set national sophomore records in the mile (4:00.90 in St. Louis. He also won the Nike Outdoor Nationals title in a time of 4:01.88), plus the 3,200 (8:43.03) and 5K (13:52.31).

By the time he dominated the Liberty Bell in early September, he was primed for more startling progression.
“The track season really opened my eyes and told me that I could really be one of the best in the country, if I continued to train hard and trusted the plan that was given to me,” Hassan said.
Big-time college coaches are taking notice.
Top programs such as Oregon, Florida, Northern Arizona, Virginia, Oregon State, North Carolina, Arkansas and Alabama are interested in Hassan. He will take official visits this winter and next spring and expects offers to start piling up alongside those visits. He plans to make his college decision early in his senior year.
Related Articles

Coronado’s Oliver Horton breaks his own course record to claim second straight 4A cross-country title

PHOTOS: 2026 Colorado high school cross-country state championships

But the 17-year-old still has much he wants to accomplish before going to the next level and ultimately reaching for his dream of turning pro.
While Hassan will be a presumptive favorite at this spring’s Class 5A state track meet in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meters, he is eying Colorado records in the first two events (times of 1:48.50 and 4:04.36, respectively, both set by Mountain Vista’s Harrison Witt in 2021) and another state record in the 3,200 (8:55.94 set by Wolfe).
Hassan’s goal for next cross-country season is not only to repeat as the Class 5A state champion, but also to break the all-classification meet mark of 14:40.52 set on Saturday by Coronado senior Oliver Horton. Bender says running in the afternoon, in the warmest race of the day Saturday, and without anyone to push him down the stretch made it hard to beat Horton’s record time from that morning.
The junior says he wants to “to be remembered as one of the best runners in Colorado history.”
“I was really happy that he grinded it out and just pushed through to win on Saturday, in a race that (he and I) would grade him at about a B,” Bender said. “… Looking ahead, the big dream for the next two years is to end with the overall high school national records.”

But Northfield cross-country and track coach Joey Bender knew he had talent on his hands at a JV meet in Portland last year, when Hassan dusted the competition and showed the same mentality that led to his breakout on the high school scene this fall.
“His time was great and he dropped the field, but what stood out more so was his fearlessness when he was racing,” Bender said.
Northfield’s Abdinasir Hassan (121) throttles down as he crosses the finish line to win first place during the Class 5A boys state championship race on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
Hassan continued to prove himself in last year’s club track season while running for the Great Strides Track Club. At premier national meets, he set national sophomore records in the mile (4:00.90 in St. Louis. He also won the Nike Outdoor Nationals title in a time of 4:01.88), plus the 3,200 (8:43.03) and 5K (13:52.31).

By the time he dominated the Liberty Bell in early September, he was primed for more startling progression.
“The track season really opened my eyes and told me that I could really be one of the best in the country, if I continued to train hard and trusted the plan that was given to me,” Hassan said.
Big-time college coaches are taking notice.
Top programs such as Oregon, Florida, Northern Arizona, Virginia, Oregon State, North Carolina, Arkansas and Alabama are interested in Hassan. He will take official visits this winter and next spring and expects offers to start piling up alongside those visits. He plans to make his college decision early in his senior year.
Related Articles

Coronado’s Oliver Horton breaks his own course record to claim second straight 4A cross-country title

PHOTOS: 2026 Colorado high school cross-country state championships

But the 17-year-old still has much he wants to accomplish before going to the next level and ultimately reaching for his dream of turning pro.
While Hassan will be a presumptive favorite at this spring’s Class 5A state track meet in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meters, he is eying Colorado records in the first two events (times of 1:48.50 and 4:04.36, respectively, both set by Mountain Vista’s Harrison Witt in 2021) and another state record in the 3,200 (8:55.94 set by Wolfe).
Hassan’s goal for next cross-country season is not only to repeat as the Class 5A state champion, but also to break the all-classification meet mark of 14:40.52 set on Saturday by Coronado senior Oliver Horton. Bender says running in the afternoon, in the warmest race of the day Saturday, and without anyone to push him down the stretch made it hard to beat Horton’s record time from that morning.
The junior says he wants to “to be remembered as one of the best runners in Colorado history.”
“I was really happy that he grinded it out and just pushed through to win on Saturday, in a race that (he and I) would grade him at about a B,” Bender said. “… Looking ahead, the big dream for the next two years is to end with the overall high school national records.”