Identical twins David and James McAndie share a likeness in everyday life from a bedroom, wardrobe, academic load and friendship circles.
“We’re pretty much best friends,” James McAndie said.
They also share the same track and field events as Mountain View’s top hurdles duo, although each has his favorite. David prefers the 110-meter hurdles for its technical challenges, and James leans toward the 300 intermediate hurdles because of its consistent rhythm.
But what will never change is how competition fuels them in unison.
“We don’t run against each other,” David McAndie said, “we run with each other. A win for one is a win for both.”
David McAndie is Mountain View’s returning 3A state participant after reaching the state meet last May in the 110 and 300 hurdles. James McAndie is back to feeling 100 percent since dealing with a hamstring injury that plagued the second half of his spring season. He reached the bi-district meet in both events in 2019.
The brothers have 4.0 grade-point averages and have applied to some of the nation’s top elite institutions, such as Harvard, Stanford and Georgetown.
They’ve thrived academically, culturally and socially at Mountain View. No regrets after transferring from Stevenson as juniors, they said.
Mountain View also is where the McAndies have tried new things from Advanced Placement courses to fall and winter cheerleading. In fact, how they got hooked on hurdles is because they tried something new.
As eighth graders in Stevenson, David, a former 400-meter runner and high jumper, won districts in just his second meet as a hurdler. James immediately jumped on board for hurdles to start high school.
“Once I saw David,” James said, “I thought, ‘I can do that, too.’ ”
David placed second for Stevenson at the Class 1A state meet in 2018. Last spring, the brothers’ first at Mountain View, David reached the 3A state meet, and his personal-best 110 time of 14.76 seconds is just off the school-record time of 14.68.
They’re each other’s best friend, teammate, and event coach. They also echo similar statements as to why hurdles races are one of a kind.
And it all started by trying something new.
“One of the most satisfying things is a smooth hurdle race,” David said. “It feels like no other.”
For James, it’s a unique rhythm that goes beyond a sprint for 300 meters.
“That change of focus makes the races so much easier for me,” he said. “You’re focused on the next hurdle.”
