His name is all over the Idaho record books. Now he’s a five-time athlete of the year.
Borah High’s Nathan Green was already set to go down as one of the most decorated runners in Idaho history. But he added one more award to his mantle last week as the state’s Gatorade boys track and field athlete of the year.
This marks the fifth Gatorade award of Green’s career, who also won the track athlete of the year as a sophomore and the cross country runner of the year each of the past three seasons. The Gatorade award is given annually to the state’s top athlete regardless of classification.
“Nathan is incredible, not only as a runner but as a person,” Boise coach Aaron Olswanger said in a news release. “His focus and competitive spirit when he races is just impressive to watch.”
Green dominated the 5A state track and field meet in May, setting all-class records in the 1,600 meters (4 minutes, 7.90 seconds) and the 3,200 (8:53.47). He also led Borah’s 4x400-meter relay team to a first-place finish.
Green has signed to run at the University of Washington in the fall. But he’s kept busy this summer gunning for a 4-minute mile.
He fell 0.97 seconds short of the prestigious mark at a meet at Centennial High in June. Since then, he’s won a pair of national meets, finishing first in the mile at the Brooks PR Invitational at 4:01.76 and winning the Outdoor Nationals the next day at 4:03.30.
His time of 4:00.97 from June stands as the fastest mile in the nation among high schoolers this year. He also ranks second in the 2,000-meter steeplechase at 5:56.62. Neither event is part of a traditional Idaho high school meet. Green has only run in those races on the club circuit.
Previous winners of the track award include Kimberly’s Peyton Bair (2019-20), Timberline’s Caleb Stamper (2017-18), Coeur d’Alene’s Grady Leonard (2016-17) and Rocky Mountain’s Michael Slagowski (2015-16).
Boys track wraps up the awards for the 2020-21 school year. The full list of Idaho winners includes:
Football: Ben Ford, Eagle
Volleyball: Katy Ryan, Lakeland
Boys soccer: Damian Arguello, Caldwell
Girls soccer: Kelsey Oyler, Rocky Mountain
Boys cross country: Nathan Green, Borah
Girls cross country: Sammy Smith, Boise
Boys basketball: Brody Rowbury, Meridian
Girls basketball: Naya Ojukwu, Mountain View
Baseball: Jaxon Sorenson, Idaho Falls
Softball: Delaney Keith, Skyview
Boys track: Nathan Green, Borah
Girls track: Sammy Smith, Boise
This story was originally published July 12, 2021 at 2:12 PM.
