Norman duplicates his 200-400 sweep
CLOVIS, Calif. — Michael Norman knew he had to be at his best Saturday night to top what he did at the 2015 state track and field championships. On the same oval where he set a national record of 45.19 seconds in the 400 meters one year earlier, the Vista Murrieta senior defended his title in style by winning in 45.77 at Buchanan High in Clovis and bolstering his confidence for the U.S. Junior Nationals in two weeks (also at Buchanan) and the U.S. Olympic Trials in July in Eugene, Ore.
“I tried to stay relaxed and pump my arms all the way through,” said Norman, the reigning Gatorade national runner of the year, who also ran the first leg on the Broncos’ victorious 400 relay, which clocked 40.32 for the second-fastest time in the nation this year and fourth all-time in California. “I didn’t feel too much pressure. I’m just taking it one step at a time. The main objective right now is to do well here and defend my titles.”
Norman’s 400 time was the second-fastest in the nation this year behind the 45.51 he ran at the Arcadia Invitational in April. Logen Casavant of Rancho Mirage was second in 46.93.
An hour and a half later, Norman repeated in the 200 in 20.42 and joined Long Beach Poly’s Bryshon Nellum (2006-07) as the only sprinters to sweep the state 200 and 400 in consecutive years. Norman ran the distance in 20.23 (the fastest time in the world this year against a headwind) a week earlier at the Southern Section Masters Meet.
West Hills Chaminade senior T.J. Brock took first place in the 100 in 10.43 to repeat as state champion. His winning time was 10.34 last year.
“I’ve been working on my starts every day in practice,” said Brock, a future roommate of Norman’s at USC. “I got out of the blocks fast today and that’s exactly what I wanted to do.”
Carson’s girls 400 relay, consisting of Long Beach Poly transfers Kenyla Miles, Autumn Wright, Kennedi Atkins and Kaelin Roberts, established a new City Section record of 45.06 — the secondfastest time in the nation this year and 10th all-time nationally.
Roberts later won the 400 for the second time in three years in 52.28, the fastest in the nation this year. Defending champion Hannah Waller of Clovis Buchanan was second in 53.01.
Agoura junior Tara Davis won the triple jump at 41 feet 5 inches, finished second in the long jump at 20-4 and won the 100 hurdles in a personal-best 13.38, fastest in the state and seventh-fastest in the nation this year.
It was a day of redemption for Westlake Village Oaks Christian junior Lauren Rain Williams, who won the 100 in 11.39 (second-fastest in the nation this year) after finishing second last year to Oxnard Rio Mesa’s Zaria Francis, who was third in 11.55. Celera Barnes of Ventura St. Bonaventure was second in 11.47.
Rancho Santa Margarita Tesoro senior Amanda Gehrich repeated as girls 1,600 champion, separating from Temecula Great Oak’s Destiny Collins on the final straightaway to win in 4:45.51. Gehrich passed Collins in the final 100 meters to win in a nationalleading 4:33.33 last spring.
Masters Meet champion Isaac Cortes of Great Oak ran the final lap in 55 seconds to win the 1,600 in 4:04.62.