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California has the highest quality state meet competition
in the US. It is a one-class meet for the most populous state in
the country. Ten sections send 27 athletes per event to the state
finals. There are preliminaries Friday in all events except the
3200 to whittle the fields down to 9. Then comes Saturday -- all
finals in all events.
| 2001
Highlights . . . A remarkable senior class produced
a memorable meet. Two national records: Wilson Long Beach
3:35.72 4x400 and Shayla Ballentine 13-8 PV. National
400-meter record holder Monique Henderson is the first
girl ever to win four straight California 400 meter titles.
Lashinda Demus, later named US Athlete of the Year for
her record 300 meter hurdles, wins the "wrong" event
(110H) after being disqualified from her specialty in the Southern
Section finals. Sara Bei and Anita Siraki are
1-2 in California and 1-2 in the US in the 3200. Ryan Hall's
4:02.62 makes him the fastest California 1600 meter champion
ever. Alejandra Barrientos comes back from a stress fracture
a year ago to reclaim the 1600 meter title she won in 1999 as
a sophomore. An astounding 511 performances qualify for national
ranking in the 2001
outdoor DyeStat Elite, the most of any meet in the history
of DyeStat. (Texas, with a five-class state meet involving more
athletes, had 402 in 2001.) |
Wilson Long Beach 4x400 - From Left: Angel
Tate, leadoff; Ashley
Freeman, anchor; Lashinda Demus, 3rd leg; Quiana
Hodges, 2nd leg. |
Shayla Ballentine |
Monique Henderson |
Lashinda Demus |
Ryan Hall |
Sara Bei, Anita Siraki |
Alejandra Barrientos |
California State Meet 2002
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