Speeding around the curves of the track and sprinting the straights, Jake Owens runs towards victory.

Resulting from year-round running, athletic talent, hard work and love for his sport, senior Jake Owens earned a shot at being Indiana’s 2015 400 meter dash state champion.

“I’ve always been pretty talented, but I’ve always loved track, and that’s been the main driving force for me,” Owens said. “Because I love it so much, it helps me to come out here and work hard. Even when I don’t feel good, I still have fun with it.”

Regardless of any other issues in his life, Owens comes to the track every day, puts his head down and works hard, regardless of the level of difficulty of the practice.

“Even on easy practices, he tries as hard as he can and doesn’t quit or go easy,” teammate Dom Griesinger said.

Working up from a rough season his sophomore year and an improving junior year, Owens set his focus on lowering his times to achieve his three senior year goals: state champion in the 400 meter dash, setting the school’s record for the 400 (which now sits at 47.8) and earning scholarship money for college.

In working towards reaching his goals, his hard work and dedication are seen by many.

“[He] leads by example. He doesn’t say much when he is in the middle of his workout or during competition, but his teammates and his competition are definitely taking notes,” sprinting coach Skip Morris said. “They recognize a guy who has incredible talent and is not satisfied with just being a good athlete.”

Support from coaches and family alike has lead to his success, which includes third place on a 4×4 team and eighth place in 400, both at state, as well as sectional champion in the 400, all of the 2014 season.

“Right now, I’m trying to just get my time down as low as possible,” Owens said.

He’s already partially achieved that goal with the Hamilton County meet, where he won not only four events, but also the title of Hamilton County Male Track Athlete of the Year for 2015.

“To go into the meet where I was and then to come out a county champ in four events was amazing,” Owens said.

With his aims set high on winning the title of state champion, Owens continues bringing the heat to practice, in hope that he’ll bring his years of hard work, dedication and love for the sport to justice. Owens’s determination is a reflection of sportsman Bo Jackson’s work ethic. Jackson played both professional football and professional baseball in his career as an athlete, which is one of the reasons Owens looks up to the professional.

“Mostly just the way he carried himself,” Owens said, explaining why he admires Jackson. “He was super humble about everything.”

Similarly, Owens’s disposition is a part of him that will be missed when he leaves Noblesville High School, with or without that state champion trophy.

“Jake is an outstanding athlete and an even better person,” Morris said. “I am glad to have known him [and] coached him…he will be missed next year.”