By Leonard COUTIN

On Saturday, spectators witnessed enduring strength in outstanding performances when the Southern Section CIF track and field championship finals were held on the Cerritos College Falcon Field. Competition spanned nine hours with athletes battling temperatures that climbed in excess of 90 degrees. The middle and long distance athletes were especially affected as they felt the scorching heat beneath their feet. Unfortunately, this resulted in a few runners who could not produce their usual times and fell off their marks completely when they doubled both in the 1600m and 3200m races.

For La Cañada junior Claire Murray, the opposite was true as she sprinted to a winning mark in the 100m hurdles running 14.71 in the Division 3 finals. Santa Margarita Nikki Merritt, another junior, took second place running 14.88.

Pacific League winner Micah Fulton from Muir won two Division 4 titles with a time of 14.78 in the 100H and winning the long jump with a jump of 18-01.50. The significance of the times in this event qualified the top runners to participate in the CIF Master Meet that will be held at Arcadia on Saturday night, May 27 when all division top runners face off to qualify for the CIF state championships held on June 2-3.

Upland junior Jada Hicks won the Division 1-100H running a time of 14.21.

The best time of the day came from Division 2, Agoura High School senior Tara Davis, who celebrated her 18th birthday by winning three CIF championship events. She ran the 100H in a time of 13.59, far ahead of second place Shante Robinson who ran 14.55, and third place Allie Jones (14.62). In the long jump Davis had the crowd on its feet when she soared in the air in the long jump posting 21-03, 22-01.25 and her national record mark of 22-03.75. Davis later won the triple jump posting an excellent mark of 39-11 despite running into the wind. Her three consecutive Division 2 titles for the third consecutive year to achieve the unbelievable record of nine individual titles is the most victories by any one athlete since Marion Jones.

Flintridge Prep High School posted some excellent marks in the Division 4 section as well. Junior Evan Pattinelli raced to a win in the 3200m running a time of 9:43.79. Senior Natalie O’Brien placed fourth running the 3200m in a time of 11:27.96. Teammate Sophia Gitlin, a junior, was extremely affected by the heat in the 3200m but still managed to hold on to place eighth running 12:02.32. Hanna Barakat took fifth in the girls 200m running 25.75 and Sasha Codiga raced to seventh place finish in the 800m.

Malibu superstar distance runner Claudia Lane, who won the CIF cross country championship last year, the state cross country championship and the National Foot Locker Cross Country Championship, won two Division 4 titles at the Southern CIF track and field championships in the 1600m and the 3200m, posting impressive marks of 4:51.27 in the 1600m and 10:19.27 in the 3200m.

  Leonard Coutin