Great One Day High School Performance

[Franko]

State championships happen at this time of the year. The greatest high school performance I ever saw was in May of 1983 at the Maryland State Championships in Annapolis. Rodney Giles was the young man who amazed me. His first race was at about 4:30 when he anchored his school's 4 x 800 relay team. He was looking up into the stands when the third man was coming in to see if his coach wanted him to run hard as they were in fifth place appoximately 130 yards behind. He ran hard and won the race for his school with a 1:46.7 anchor (splits: :24.2,:27.1,:26.3, :29.1 or :51.3,:55.4). He eased off at the end as they won in 8:01.9 to 8:03.5 in second. His second race was at 6:30 in the 1600. He won in 4:17.8 with second place being 4:21.0. His third race at 7:15 was the 400, which he won in :47.8. His last race wasn't until 8:30, the 800, which he won in in 1:51.0. He ran later ran 1:48.67 to finish second in the Golden West. He did win the 800 at the Junior Nationals in 1:49.83 to beat Jeff Van Wie who had won the Golden West. He went to Pitt, but I don't believe he went beyond his freshman year. Any better efforts? The talent this country produces and then just fades away.

[jsquire]

Re: Great One Day High School Performance

I won't claim that what I saw was better, just that it was the best I ever saw. Chris Nelloms as a sophomore at the 1988 Ohio championships.

It was an unusually hot day for June in Columbus (90+ degrees), which affects us northerners even more than most. Nelloms won the 100 in an unimpressive time, then took the 400 in 45.80 and the 200 in 21.04. He finished off the day in the 4x400 relay; his team gave him the baton in last place (I remember 50 meters behind, but I could be wrong). He finished one stride out of first.

The Columbus Dispatch reported that his anchor split was 44.8! I believe it, since he looked fresh after his 45.80 but really beat up after the 4x400.

[Donley]

Re: Great One Day High School Performance

I wasn't there to see it but this years world leader in the 400 Jeremy Wariner ran a wind aided 20.41 200 and a 45.57 400 the same day at the Texas District meet. I just wanted Lee Nichols to know that guy is on "my" team.

[trackstar]

Re: Great One Day High School Performance

> I just wanted Lee Nichols to
>know that guy is on "my" team.

That's okay, I just picked up some good 'uns in this last draft, David. You better watch out for me. ;-)

I'm still in awe of the two state championships in which I got to see Carlette Guidry of Houston Sterling.

1985 (class 5A, the toughest division):
100 1st 11.6
200 2nd 23.9, behind Chryste Gaines
TJ 1st 40-9 1/4
LJ 1st 19-8
4x4 1st 3:45.7
Sterling: team title, 74 points (since Texas give double points on relays, that means Guidry had a hand in 78 percent of her team's points)

1986 (which I participated in, 6th places in the 3A 1600 and 3200, thankyouverymuch):
100 1st 11.5
200 1st 23.3
TJ 1st 42-1 1/4
LJ 1st 20-4 3/4
4x4 1st 3:49.2
Sterling: team title, 104 points - Guidry in 58 percent of them)

[Guest]

Re: Great One Day High School Performance

Jesse, I split Nelloms in :44.9 so I'm sure the split was accurate. Correctly me if I am wrong, but I believe he came up 6" short and finished 2nd after making up 50 yards (the leader was at the flagpole at the top of the turn in Ohio Stadium). Another Ohio great day performance was the 1980 Bellaire Relays in which John Zishka of Lancaster ran 8:49/4:09/1:52 I believe. I have heard of the Giles performace previously and am quite impressed. Does anyone have any others worthy of sharing?

[Guest]

Re: Great One Day High School Performance

I wish I had seen Ryun's 3:55 or 3:58 (in HS competition) back in '65, but...

A performance I DID witness that ranks high up there was by Craig Virgin in the spring of 1973 at a small invitational meet in Carbondale, Illinois. If I remember correctly, it was a week or two before the state meet and of no real consequence. Nonetheless, within 45 minutes or so, Virgin ran an 8:48 2-mile and a 4:08.5 mile, all by himself, of course. He looked positively indestructible. Jason Pyrah's triple at the Missouri state meet in the late 1980s (1989?) was similarly impressive: his times were something like 1:51, 4:04, and 9:05--all in the span of a couple hours.

[Conway]

Re: Great One Day High School Performance

Greatest one day performance I have ever seen was at the 1977 California State meet ... James Sanford ran the 200/400 double ... Which in itself is tough, but at that time the two races were run back to back !!! Only rest in between was the women's 200 ... Sanford won the 400 in what was at the time a meet record of 46.33 ... He then came right back to run the 200 ... Lagging badly off the turn he hit the switch and began closing on the field like a magnet ... David Russell (the upset 100 champ) had started like gang busters and was trying desperatly to hold on ... They leaned at the finish and everyone awaited the outcome - Russell 20.84, Sanford 20.89 ... This done on approximately 20 minutes rest !!!

[Guest]

Re: Great One Day High School Performance

Early 70s, summer all comers meet. 880-1:52.xx, 440-48.6r, TJ-46'8" (no training-2nd time trying) and a 220; standing start, dropped out @ ~ 120y ahead of Danny Moore (LBS) who won in low 21.x. Dirt dirt track. Brent Tubb