Track: Palisades’ Marissa Williams sets two City Section records
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Sophomore Marissa Williams of Palisades set two City Section records at Wednesday’s City Section track and field championships at Birmingham.
Records that were established in 1979 in the 1,600 and 1983 in the 3,200 were shattered by Williams, who won with times of 4:56.60 and 10.37.33, respectively. Her 3,200 time was 10 seconds better than the previous record.
“I’m happy,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting it. It was a good surprise.”
Williams helped Palisades win the girls’ team title.
The state’s leading high school hurdler all season, Dorsey’s Reginald Bell, failed to qualify for next week’s state championships in the 110 hurdles following a controversial ruling moments before the start of his race.
Bell said he was told by the track starter that he was wearing an illegal football shirt. He was allowed to sprint from the starting line off the field, get another jersey, then sprint back and immediately race. Bell faded to fourth in 14.84 seconds after having a state-leading time of 14.03. North Hollywood’s Sike Azu Irondi won in 14:31.
“I was tired,” a frustrated Bell said. “I wore the same shirt all year. Nobody said anything.”
Dorsey coaches filed an appeal that Bell wasn’t warned as required by National Federation rules. The appeal was denied. Bell came back to win the 300 hurdles in 39.26.
Dorsey’s trio of 400-meter runners turned in an impressive sweep trying to make up for Bell’s disappointment. Billy Vaughn won in 47.78 and juniors Brandon James (48.08) and Daniel Lawson (48.09) recorded personal bests. Dorsey ended up winning the team title.
Another girls’ star was Carson freshman Jeanette Paul, who won the 100 hurdles in 14.46, took the 400 in 55:13 and was second in the 200 in 24.42 Westchester’s Destinee Brown came within 0.01 seconds of setting a City Section record in the 100 meters, winning in 11.69. She also won the 200 in 24.20.
Franklin’s Joshua Taylor won the long jump at 23-2. Birmingham’s Thomas Cheval won the high jump at 6-8 and the triple jump at 46-5 1/2.
Here’s the link to complete results.
-- Eric Sondheimer