When it came to participating in Class AA state meets, Chris Owen was a fixture during his four years in high school.

The 1997 Salem Community High School graduate qualified for state all four years in track and field as an individual, but he also was a part of four state-qualifying cross country teams.

Owen qualified for state in the 3200 meters in each of those years. As a freshman he advanced to state with a second place finish at the sectional meet with a time of 9:50.84 and was 12th in his heat at the state prelims at 10:04.06.

As a sophomore in 1995, Owen won the 3200 meters at the sectional meet with a time of 9:49.6 and was 25th at the state race at 9:57.

Owen was back at state again in 1996 as a junior when he won the 3200 meters at the sectional with a time of 9:49.2 and was 21st at state at 9:51.

As a senior in 1997, Owen qualified for state in two events for the first time advancing in both the 1600 and 3200 meters. Owen won both events at the sectional with times of 4:28.6 in the 1600 meters and 9:40.3 in the 3200 meters. Although he did not advance to the finals, Owen set a personal best time at state in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:25.3 and was 30th in the 3200 meters at 9:51.

Owen finished runner-up in the North Egypt Conference 1600 meters as a freshman in 1994 with a time of 4:37.3. Owen won NEC titles in the 1600 and 3200 meters the next three years.

As a sophomore in 1995 Owen won the NEC 1600 meters at 4:42.66 and the 3200 meters at 9:55.32. As a junior in 1996, he took the NEC 1600 meters at 4:34.2 and the 3200 meters at 10:46.8. As a senior in 1997 he took the league title in the 1600 meters at 4:35.4 and the 3200 meters at 10:04.

During the track postseason Owen earned his state berths with a second place finish in the sectional in the 3200 meters in 1994 at 9:50.84. He won the sectional 3200 meters the next three years with times of 9:49.6 in 1995, 9:49.2 in 1996 and 9:40.3 in 1997. Owen also won the sectional title in the 1600 meters in 1997 at 4:28.6.

Owen had similar success in cross country. During his freshman season in 1993 he was fourth at the NEC Meet at 14:36, fourth at the regional in 17:12, 36th at the sectional in 16:54 and 149th at the state meet at 16:15.

Owen did not run in the NEC Meet as a sophomore due to injury, but came back to finish eighth at the regional in 17:24, 27th at the sectional at 16:24 and 104th at state in 16:25.

As a junior in 1996, Owen won the NEC championship and set a new course record at Salem’s Bryan Park with a time of 15:21. Owen also won the St. Jacob Triad individual title at 15:47, was second at the sectional at 15:50 and was 52nd at state at 15:29.

Owen set another course record, this one at Olney, when he won the 1996 NEC championship with a time of 15:38. Owen once again won the St. Jacob Triad Regional title at 15:50, was sixth at the sectional at 15:54 and was 60th at state in 15:29. Owen continued his running career at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where he competed for the Salukis from 1998-2001.

Owen earned varsity letters three times in track and four times in cross country. He was selected as team captain in both sports in 2000. He earned NCAA All-American Academic honors for the 1999-2000 school year. He won the cross country program’s Outstanding Leadership Award in 2000 and was a Student Government Senator.

Currently, Chris is a Sergeant with the Illinois State Police and the U.S. drug enforcement administration and is a full service K-9 handler with his partner Xocko.