Ask Dan Karys for his favorite movie and instantly you get “Top Gun.” He estimates he’s seen it hundreds of times.

It’s only fitting that the Bartlett senior’s top film features planes because, minus the millions of dollars worth of military machinery, flying is what Karys does every day.

Prior to last Friday’s sectional meet, the four-year varsity track athlete had the state’s top mark in the long jump at 23 feet, 9 inches. He was in possession of the fifth-best triple jump mark with a tally of 46-1, a mere 11 inches off the top mark.

Simply put, Karys knows what he’s doing when it comes to competitive jumping.

“I re-broke my triple jump record,” Karys said. “I had it at the end of last year and broke it a couple times this year. This year I broke the long jump record I had last year.”

If it sounds like bragging, it’s not. It’s just a statement of fact from Bartlett’s most prolific jumper.

“He started doing well in the middle of his freshman year,” Bartlett boys track head coach Jeff Bral said. “We started jumping him more at the varsity level that year, and then we had him on varsity his sophomore and junior years.”

Though a quick study, Karys didn’t qualify for state freshman year. As a sophomore he went down in the long jump and made it in both jumps last season, though he just missed out on making the finals and earning a state medal.

Karys is looking to compete in college, but this weekend’s state meet in Charleston presents his last opportunity to earn what has been an elusive state medal.

“I’m definitely thinking about placing this year,” Karys said. “I have very high hopes. With where I’m ranked, I think I definitely should be able to place.”

If it doesn’t happen in the jumps, Karys still has a shot with the 4 x 400- and 4 x 200-meter relays, both of which ran times at the Upstate Eight Conference meet about two seconds better than the qualifying standard.

Some horizontal jumpers don’t run in order to save their legs and some run reluctantly. Karys is all too willing to step on the track.

“I love running because I think running is an opportunity for my muscles to get warmed up,” Karys said. “I don’t mind it. With all the training we do, I don’t think running is going to tire me out.”

Notable
Karys was a standout defensive back and wide receiver for the football team. While he likes the competitiveness in football he prefers track. “In track you rely on what you can do physically and not the guy next to you.”

& quotable
“Not much fazes Dan. You can tell him to go run an 800 and he would. He’s a complete team guy.”
— Jeff Bral, Bartlett head coach

Competition philosophy
“Run fast and jump far. I guess that’s what my philosophy is.”

Favorites

Subject Physics

Food Spaghetti, cookies, brownies

Movie “Top Gun”

Music Rock ‘n’ roll

Interests I enjoy playing football and I’m into making videos and photography