Andrei Dumitrescu ’18 broke the overall record for Governor’s 300-Meter Dash with a time of 40.5 seconds this season. Although he only started running Indoor Track & Field three years ago, Dumitrescu has quickly made an impact on the team. Dumitrescu’s main sport is soccer, yet he enjoys the individual competition that track offers. Dumitrescu’s hard work and dedication has earned him great respect on the team, according to his teammates.
Captain Will Hartemink ’17 said, “His improvement this year has been stellar, and I can’t wait to see what he’ll finish the season with at Andover/Exeter. He’s an exceptionally reliable teammate. After having finished two exhausting races, he gives it his best in the relay every time.”
According to his teammates, Dumitrescu’s talent and work ethic do not go unnoticed.
Jacob Buehler ’19 wrote in an email to The Phillipian, “Andrei is very hardworking and is very serious about his role as a competitor and teammate. He always shows up to practice ready to give 100 percent, and runs hard and fast in his workouts and races. If he ever loses a race, it won’t be for simple lack of effort — I’ve never seen anyone who pushes harder.”
“To see him work hard and push himself to become a great runner inspires me to do the same. Even though I’m a distance runner and don’t do sprints, I can tell that Andrei works hard and pushes himself and his teammates to the absolute maximum,” continued Buehler.
Dumitrescu also holds a positive outlook for himself and his teammates off the track, according to Buehler.
“Andrei brings character to the team. He’s a funny, likeable guy, and he’s encouraging to his teammates before their events. Track is a very mental sport, and to have somebody like Andrei hyping me up before my race, telling me, ‘Let’s kill it out there, Buehler!’ is something I really appreciate from a teammate,” said Buehler.
Rohan Lewis ’17 wrote in an email to The Phillipian, “Andrei is a ruthless competitor day in and day out. I think that his competitive personality has an extremely positive effect on the team, especially with the younger and less experienced kids. Not only does he win a lot, but he’ll go into a race knowing the outcome, and he’s not afraid to let you know it. To me, this only pushes others forward”
Dumitrescu’s impact on the team and love for the sport have earned him the title of The Phillipian’s Athlete of the Week.
When did you start running track?
I started running track my freshman year of high school, but I’ve been running since I was like 13.
What events do you participate in?
I usually run the 50-Yard the 300-Yard and the 4×440-Yard relay.
What’s one tip of advice you would give to others in terms of racing and preparation?
For preparation, I would say just eat right starting two days before your race and drink a lot of water. Also, make sure to stretch a lot and just be focused on the task you have ahead of you and be confident.
What has been the key to making Andover track so successful?
I guess the biggest difference between this year and last year that has allowed me to be successful is my training routine. Going to the gym after track has really helped me put more focus into the sport and ultimately want to run faster, which has allowed me to put more effort in during practices and actually pay attention to how I should be running.
