DATE: Tuesday, September 23, 1997           TAG: 9709230376

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C6   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   42 lines

HARRIS: HIT ON HEAD PUT HIM ON FAST PATH

Not long ago, Delano Harris took to wear his hair in braids to get attention. Now, attention is one of the few things the Granby senior can't run away from.

``Another interview, Delano?'' a Granby student said to Harris, the Comets' cross-country star who was the recent subject of an eight-minute interview on a community-access cable station.

But while Harris handles these sessions with aplomb, he likes to let his feet do most of his talking. Harris is the top returning finisher from the 1996 Eastern Region meet, where he placed fifth. And Saturday, he breezed to a first-place finish in the Silver Division of the 29-team Christopher Newport Invitational at Newport News Park.

``I used to get real anxious in meets, but now I stay calm and relaxed,'' Harris said. ``I know people are expecting a lot out of me, but all I want to do is get better.''

Ironically, if Harris had faster hands, people might not know so much about his fast feet. Basketball, not running, was Harris' first passion. But four years ago, he suffered a minor concussion when the ball hit him on the head. His doctor advised him to quit contact sports.

``My mom prayed on it, and then I decided to go out for track,'' Harris said. ``On the first day of practice, the coach sent us out on a five-mile run. It was real easy.''

These days, Harris just makes it look easy. In fact, his success is the product of a year-round training regimen. He spent last summer working out with Walt Green's Atlantic Coast Track Club and finished among the nation's top 10 in the 1,500 and 3,000 at the AAU Junior Olympics.

``He hasn't really been pushed yet,'' Granby coach Dave Jacobs said. ``But once Delano gets to the meets where the better kids are, I believe he'll respond.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Delano Harris took to running right away. ``On the first day of

practice, the coach sent us out on a five-mile run. It was real

easy.''

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