Hall: Ja'Warren Hooker

Ja’Warren Hooker has been named Washington state’s fastest man. He represented the United States at the 2000 Summer Olympics and is considered one of the greatest high school track athletes in Washington state history.  A 1997 graduate of Ellensburg High School, Ja’Warren was a 3-sport athlete (football, basketball and track) and began lighting up the track as a high school freshman.  As a running back on Ellensburg’s football team he ran for over 5,100 yards and scored

57 touchdowns. He currently holds the Pasco Invite and Edgar Brown Memorial Stadium record in the 100M (10.44) and 200M (21.40). He holds the State Meet 100M record (10.35) and the Washington All-Time Best 100M record of 10.27, and the State Meet record holder in the 200M at 21.24. 

In 1997, Ja’Warren earned a spot on the U.S. junior team after winning the 100M at the National Championships and in the Pan American Junior Games in Havana, Cuba, he won the gold medal in the 100M, finishing at 10.39 seconds. At the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, he was a member of the silver medal winning 4 x 400M Relay team. 

Following his illustrious high school career, Ja’Warren attended the University of Washington as a scholarship two-sport athlete.  He played two seasons for the Husky football team and returned a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown the first time he touched the ball.

Track was his primary sport at UW he became their first Track and Field Pac-10 Athlete of the Year (2-times – 1998 and 2000). He finished his career as a UW-record, five-time conference champion, winning the 100M twice, the 200M twice and helping the 1,600-meter relay team win once. His five school records are in the outdoor 100 (10.18), 200 (20.23) and 400M (44.78), and indoor marks at 60M (6.55) and 200M (20.56). His mark in the indoor 60M ranks eighth in NCAA history, and his time in the outdoor 200M ranks eighth in Pac-12 history. He was the 1998 NCAA Indoor Champion at 55 Meters along with winning six Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (indoor conference) titles.  He still holds the MPSF Championships record at 60M and 200M. 

Ja’Warren was named an All-American 10 times, the most ever by a UW track and field athlete. In 2014, he was inducted to the University of Washington Hall of Fame.  He also made the United States Olympic Track and Field Team as a 20 year-old – Sydney, 2000 Olympic games – member of the United States 4 x 400 Meter Relay Gold Medal team as the alternate.

Today, Ja’Warren lives in the greater Seattle area and runs a corporate wellness program, as well as a personal training business.  

Please welcome Ja’Warren Hooker to the Pasco Invite Hall of Fame.