Imagine you are a college student. Your major? You have two of them: statistics and economics. Not a walk in the park, but hey, how bad can it be? Now add a computer science minor into the mix. Well, there goes any free time you may have had. Challenging, but still doable. Simultaneously, outside of the classroom you are training as a D1 athlete. Now you are probably thinking I’m pushing it. That it sounds unrealistic. One college student however, proved otherwise. We are going to explore the inspiring triumphs of the American allstar Ryan Dundun, who managed to juggle a vigorous academic program and record breaking feats as an athlete.
Ryan’s athletic accomplishments were not exclusive to his college career. In his High School years, Dundun won the WIAA D1 Sectional – Waukesha North for the 4×800 relay. Alongside teammates Trenton Daniels, Brad Johnson, and Stephen Browne, Dundun and the team triumphed in winning the State Championship. Dundun’s impressive time of 7:44.80 had secured the team’s spot as number one in a top ten all time performance ranking. The relay team received recognition as best in the state at the Penn Relays with an impressive 12 second lead amongst their competitors. Lastly, as a senior in High School, Dundun won the GMC Varsity Outdoor Championship by setting a record breaking personal best of 50.25 seconds.
The young athlete’s love of sports encouraged him to venture onto the soccer field in addition to his passion for track and field. In 2013, Dundun played forward on his high school’s soccer team, participating in a total of 24 games. Seventeen wins, three ties, and four losses. Dundun was able to claim several of the winning goals throughout his time as a soccer player, with numerous shots on goal. After a discouraging losing streak the year prior, his team advanced to the state semifinals, finishing second in the league behind Whitefish Bay at a 2-1 loss as Ryan came to the rescue with an assist.
Fast forward a few years, and Dundun’s athletic career is flourishing at the University of Wisconsin – Madison as a Division 1 Track and field Athlete. Some highlights of his college career include competing in the NCAA West Preliminary Championships. He entered the competition with a season best of 52 seconds in the 400 meter hurdles. Ryan had the pleasure of competing alongside a present day Australian Olympian Oliver Hoare, Austin Rendon, and Ollin Hacker, in winning a Big Ten Indoor Track and Field title for the men’s distance medley with a winning time of 9:44:62.
At the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championship in Birmingham, Alabama, Dundun and his teammates Oliver Hoare, Eric Brown, and Olin Hacker, finished seventh in the 4×800 meter relay with Notre Dame securing first place. His team completed the race in 9:34.74, with Dundun coming in at 2:55.59 for the 800m.
Progress was not optional for Ryan. Regardless of the number of tournaments he competed in over his high school and college career, his most intimidating competitor was himself. Every great athlete understands they are only as good as their previous best, and Dundun was no exception. His personal best for the 400 meter hurdles spiked from 53.49 seconds in 2017, to 52.19 seconds in 2019. Similarly, his record for the indoor 400 meters improved from 50.98 seconds in 2018 to 49.48 seconds in 2019.
Statistics, Economics, computer science, and a love of sports. It would have been easier to give up one of the majors. Drop the minor. Cut back on the training. However, “easy” wasn’t Ryan’s priority. Through determination, self discipline, and enthusiasm for success, Ryan Dundun wasn’t going to give up one for the other. We often doubt ourselves in what we can achieve; where the edge of our limit lies. Hopefully incoming freshman and ambitious high school students will aspire to emulate a similar drive, and use Ryan’s experiences as an anecdote; showcasing you don’t need to sacrifice one interest to excel in another.
