One lap around the track seems short, yet track athletes who run the 400 meter dash know the strength it takes. Alberto Manganelli is no stranger to the strains of the 400. With a 51-second open 400 meter and 49-second 400 in a relay, Manganelli proved his excellence by setting this record as only a sophomore in high school.
Now that his junior year track season is underway, Manganelli becomes an upperclassman on the team. Already halfway through his high school career, Alberto Manganelli reflects on his unlikely introduction to track when he was younger.
Manganelli started out as a football player, but after suffering a torn ACL, he sought a sport with less harsh cutting movement. He noticed his speed at a young age and decided track would be the most suitable option. Making varsity as a freshman was the first of many accomplishments in Manganelli’s career.
“My freshman year when I made varsity, it’s that intimidation with the seniors,” Manganelli said. “The beauty of [track], the sport is all based on time. It’s that respect, the respect that you gain, from hitting those times, beating those times.”
Manganelli proved himself with his swiftness and consistency early on. In the first 400 meters he ran as a freshman, he made a statement.
“I go out and run a 54, first off the bat,” Manganelli said. “Freshman year, I was able to go 53, and then my sophomore year, I was able to 51.6.”
The times Manganelli set opened new doors for him. At the conclusion of last year’s season, Manganelli had the opportunity to run at Adidas Nationals.
Embracing the strenuous life of a student-athlete, Manganelli’s educational goals are as steep as his athletic goals.
“I prioritize my education a lot. I want to major in architecture,” Manganelli said. “I’m looking, if anything does happen, [at] an Ivy [League], those highly academic schools that provide an athletic track [team] because I love the sport. I would love to continue it.”
In alignment with his personal goals, Alberto Manganelli’s personal hero also strove to excel both academically and on the track.
“Pietro Mennea was the first Italian athlete to win gold in [the] 200,” Manganelli said. “He held the world record. I really love him not only because of his athletic accomplishments but also his academic accomplishments.”
Mennea studied to become a lawyer while also training for the Olympics. Alberto Manganelli dreams of becoming an architect while also continuing to run high-level track in college, similar to his inspiration.
Despite dreaming of college, Manganelli is only a junior in high school. Even with only two years of high school track experience, he has enjoyed many of the experiences track has to offer.
“We compete and that competition, that discipline, that understanding, and also your teammates,” Manganelli said. “We’re all one big team and we all enjoy looking at each other run, and we all joke around. It’s really fun.”
Most track meets take hours, and some occupy the greater part of a day. With such a time-consuming and draining sport, Manganelli finds the joy in the post-meet moments.
“The thing I really like the most is after the meets,” Manganelli said. “We’re all happy and just going out to eat and just staying together as a team. Just joking around. That’s probably the best memories I have.”
As he enters into this 2024 track season as an upperclassman, Manganelli has advice for any blossoming runners who may follow in his footsteps.
“For track, specifically, don’t let the time intimidate you,” Manganelli said. “I like to say you can run against the time, or you can run towards the time.”
