When Anisa Bowen-Fontenot and her brother Yasir Fontenot started competing in track, neither was an instant success.
“They were middle to the back of the pack,” said their father, Bazz. “They weren’t particularly gifted, but that’s the reason for their current success. Self-improvement was the goal, so getting a personal record was more important than winning. In fact, there was no pressure to win.
“The goal was to get better each time, and it still is. Eventually, you do that, and you’ll win.”
Now, their personal records usually equate to even bigger records, with potential state and even national all-time bests every time the sister-brother combo steps on the track.
Anisa, a senior bound for USC, picked up one section record en route to capturing the 2024 state 100-meter hurdle dash in 13.59 seconds. She shaved that mark down to 13.16 seconds at this year’s prestigious Arcadia Invitational.
Heading into the San Diego Section championships Saturday at Mt. Carmel High School, Bowen-Fontenot is hoping for a windless day with a personal-best time of anything under 13.03 seconds, the all-time state record set by San Jose Mt. Pleasant’s Vashti Thomas in 2007.
Her brother and dad will be there, too. Bazz Fonenot is the San Diego High’s track and field coach, while Yasir is one of the Cavers’ best boys runners.
“Track is a family activity,” said Anisa, who is heavily involved in ASB as the school vice-president while still maintaining a 4.0 GPA. “If you give your all, you get results. Yes, our goal is still to get a PR every race.”
As for Jasir, a freshman, it’s difficult not to consider him the face of high school track and field the next four years. He made his high school debut a big one; just a freshman, he leads the state with his San Diego Section-record time of 13.62 in the 110-meter high hurdles. He’s almost a half-second faster than his nearest California rival.
It appears the state record of 13.33 set by Upland’s Joseph Anderson in 2017 is within range.
“I want to get a PR of something in the 13.5s to set up for state, where I’ll go after the state record by running in the 13.2s,” said Fontenot, who already holds the fastest times ever run by a high school freshman and 15-year-old.
“My dad being my coach is definitely a plus. We talk strategy, and I know he cares about me.I love big meets, the bigger the better. It’s like moving up another plane in video games. And coming to school where my sister is so well-known made that transition much easier. She’s the best, it’s great having her in my corner.”
Although a relative neophyte in the 300-meter hurdles, Fontenot took the section lead in the event when with a time of 37.75 at the Mt. SAC Invitational.
“Getting a personal best each time out is still the goal,” said Bazz Fontenot, recently named the head boys basketball coach at Mater Dei Catholic. “The other thing that we emphasize is finishing every race strong. We don’t stress specific times, and we don’t worry a while lot about the start of the race. It’s how you finish that matters.
“What we’re looking for in both hurdle events is being smooth. If you spend more than a second going over the hurdles, you’re losing time. When the others are getting tired, that’s when Anisa and Jasir are charging.”
That philosophy has produced two age-group world records for Jasir and a state title for Anisa, and both are looking to get more personal records his weekend, setting up the state championships.
