Posted on Wed, Apr. 30, 2008

The only numbers that matter to South Broward's Christal Washington this week is the 2:09.90 scribbled on an activity board inside her house. Breaking the state record in the 800 set by Oak Ridge's Lavera Morris at the 2001 Class 4A state finals will be Washington's singular focus at the 2008 Class 4A finals Saturday in Winter Park.

Washington, who has signed with FSU, was on pace to break the record at the 2007 state finals but finished in 2:10.90 to capture her second straight 800 title. Winning the 800 for a third time would put Washington in some select company. North Palm Beach Benjamin's Julian Reynolds holds the all-time record with six (1990-95) titles, three other runners have won it four times, and five more own three titles each.

Washington discussed her prospects recently:

Q. What does winning mean to you?

A. Being that I don't like to lose, I guess it means everything.

Q. Your stated mission going into this season was shattering the state mark in the 800. Would doing so be your final exclamation on a race you have dominated the past three years?

A. Yes. I know I can do it. I have won states twice but now I want to go for the record. It is something that will make me work harder.

Q. Given your résumé, you should be a lock to make the U.S. Junior world team competing in Poland this summer. What are you looking forward to most?

A. Jackie Richards, an assistant coach at FSU, will be one of the U.S. coaches so I am real excited. It will be a good experience to meet other people and compete.

Q. You ran a season-best 2:11.66 at the BCAA finals, which currently ranks No. 1 in Florida and No. 9 in the nation. Your career-best 2:05.83 came at the Nike Outdoor Nationals last July. How fast can you go Saturday?

A. I'm trying to go 2:05. I have to see how my body is feeling.

Q. What does it mean to know you have earned the respect and admiration of die-hard track fans by the standing ovations they give you when you run?

A. It makes me want to run harder. I want to make them happy. I want to run faster. Sometimes I don't know if they are cheering for me or somebody coming after me so I have to push it.

Q. You came so close to breaking the state record a year ago. Then what happened?

A. I missed it by a tenth of a second. I was surprised. I didn't know. I was on my second lap. I thought I had it so I just cruised it in. I will run it through this time.

Q. What time splits will you have to run to break the state record?

A. I want to run 1:02 on my first lap. By my second lap around the 600-meter mark I should be at about 1:33 or 1:34. Then I can finish strong.