Germán Fernández runs to a pro career

By RON AGOSTINI

The Modesto Bee

(Published Tuesday, August 28th, 2012 02:47PM)

Germán Fernández views his career as sunlight beaming between clouds after a heavy rain.

He is turning the page, as ballplayers say, after what he called a three-year "rough patch" at Oklahoma State. Time to start anew for Fernández, an NCAA champion targeting glory until illness and a series of injuries sapped his body and spirit.

"I'm going in the right direction to get my momentum and my confidence back," the Riverbank High product maintained this week. "I know I can do special things."

So does Nike, which quickly signed Fernández after his graduation from Oklahoma State. He wore the OSU colors for the last time at the Olympic Trials, where he reached the semifinals of the 1,500 meters. Not long before, he placed 10th at the NCAA Championships.

The results were modest but slightly misleading. Fact was, Fernández was pleased. He was 100 percent healthy, which had become almost a foreign sensation to him.

Refreshed and inspired by the Americans' breakthrough performance at the London Games, Fernández wishes to join the Olympic samba dance four years from now in Río de Janeiro.

As soon as he wrapped up six weeks of altitude training at Flagstaff, Ariz., Fernández traveled to Europe for some summer competition. He seeks personal progress in what surely will be a long and lonely climb.

"I don't want to just get to the Olympics," he said. "I want to get there and medal."