UMBC

Bio


Michael Christmas

Michael Christmas

Class:
Sr. 		Height/Weight:
6-3, 143
   
Hometown:
Invercargill, New Zealand 		   
   
High School:
James Hargest College
   

2008: Placed in the scoring five in all five events he competed in… Dropped nearly two minutes off his 8K time from his debut year, finishing in 25:22.60 at the Princeton University… Helped lead the Retrievers to a win at the Towson Invitational, finishing fifth… Opened the season with a 16th-place finish in a career-best 5K time of 16:39.64… Named the Most Improved Athlete at UMBC’s Varsity Awards Banquet in May… Named to the America East Honor Roll.  

 

2007: Scored for the Retrievers in just one meet during his opening season, crossing the line third in a time of 16:58.91, good for 18th overall, at the Mount St. Mary’s Dual 5K’s to start the season… Saw his best 8K time of the season the next week at the Navy Invite which he completed in 27:36.10 and placed 54th in the America East Championships with a time of 29:08.30 for the 8124-meter course… Also competed in the William and Mary Tribe Invitational.

 

Background: A national-caliber runner in New Zealand and the Oceania region… Crowned Oceania Champion in the U-18 800-meter run in 2004… Also took second in the 1500 at the same meet… Finished second in the U-19 800 at the New Zealand Championships in 2007, third in the 800 in 2006, and second in the U-17 800 in 2004… Also competed for James Hargest College on the secondary school circuit… Placed second in the senior boys’ 800 in 2005 and third in the senior boys’ 800 in 2004 at the New Zealand Secondary School Championships… School record holder in five different events and provincial record holder in three events… Has raced against Olympians Jason Stewart (NZ) and Stefano Mika (Samoa) at the New Zealand Commonwealth Trials, where he finished fifth in the 800… Was also a Provincial Representative for basketball… Earned Academic Blues awards at James Hargest in Science and Chemistry during 2003 and 2004… Earned academic honors from 2001-2005.

 

Personal: One of three sons to Peter and Sue Christmas… Has a sister, Felicity (19) and two brothers, Lewis (17) and Max (16)… Majoring in biochemistry… Born August 6, 1987.