Principian is Fastest High-School Runner in Missouri
As a returning junior, talented speedster Issam Asinga is currently ranked the fastest runner in Missouri. Issam earned three Class 2 state titles in the Missouri State Track and Field Championships this past spring.
His personal best times in the 100-meter (10.62 seconds), 200-meter (21.55), and 400-meter (48.17) races are the top in the state for all classifications. Issam broke several records during the Missouri State Championships, besting a class superlative that had stood since 1992 and breaking a mark set 40 years ago in the 400.
When asked to describe Issam, his coaches note that his talent is matched with sincerity and humility. “Issam is such a talented athlete who also manages to have a lot of fun with his running and his teammates,” Track and Field Coach Blair Lindsay says. “Despite being placed in the spotlight, he’s stayed humble.”
“Issam has worked incredibly hard for all he has achieved,” Strength and Conditioning Coach Dante Lewis confirms. “It’s been a pleasure to be able to witness his growth and watch him mature into an impressive athlete and exceptional young man.”
Issam comes from a family of dedicated runners. His mother and father both competed at the Olympic Games, representing Suriname and Zambia. Ngozi Mwanamwambwa Asinga (US’89, C’93) is a two-time Olympic athlete and seven-time NCAA Division III All-American. She was the first woman from Zambia to compete in the Olympics, running in the 400-meter race at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and again at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Issam’s father, Tommy Asinga, competed at three Olympic Games: 1988 in Seoul, 1992 in Barcelona, and 1996 in Atlanta. Issam’s sister Siwa (US’19) also earned three state medals as a senior at the Upper School and currently runs for Drake University.
“My family motivates me to work hard both on and off the track,” Issam says. “I’m so grateful for all their advice—advice on how to be a better man and a better athlete.”
Issam is the perfect example of all that Principia athletics embodies. He strives for excellence while living the Principia athletics motto, “High-minded and hard-fighting.”
“I like to keep the phrase “Running with God” in mind before a race because it is so simple, yet so powerful,” Issam says. “It’s easy to recite in my head while running, and it’s become my go-to metaphysical thought.”
There’s no doubt Issam has a bright, promising future. He will be an athlete to watch as he continues to stay out front in the world of track and field.