A Riverbank High School alum returned to the scene of his many victories on Friday, reuniting with his track and field and cross country coaches at the all-weather track on the RHS campus.

It was during a pause in the Stanislaus County Meet held on March 18, with coaches Monte Wood and Bruce Edwards taking a brief time out in the races to introduce German Fernandez, world class distance runner, who got his start as a Bruin at RHS.

In introducing him to the crowd, Coach Wood listed some of his many track and field and cross country accomplishments.

Wood noted that Fernandez was a 2005 and 2007 California Interscholastic Federation Division IV State Champion, and the course record holder.

In 2007, Fernandez placed third at the CIF State Track and Field Championships in the 3200 event. In 2008, he was the State Champion in the 1600- and 3200-yard races, and broke both state records, which still stand.

In the 3200-meter race, he broke the National Federation of State High School Associations record and Wood said that Fernandez is still the NFHS national record holder in the 3200 and the 2-mile.

Wood added that Fernandez attended Oklahoma State University, where he led his team to two cross country National Championships and won the 2009 NCAA Championship in the 1500-meter. In 2009, he also set the Junior World Indoor Record for the mile.

After college, Fernandez ran for Nike for eight years, competing internationally, and he participated in two U.S. Olympic Trials.

Wood added that, at one time, Fernandez held the US Junior 5k Record.

After listing all his accomplishments, Coach Wood and Coach Edwards presented Fernandez with another, naming him among those called Legends of Stanislaus County Track and Field, with a trophy to go along with it.