Yucaipa senior Asani Hampton ran the second-fastest wind-legal 100 meters in California history with his 10.26 clocking Thursday at the Citrus Belt League Finals on his home track at Yucaipa HS. The wind was recorded at 0.1 meters per second, well below the 2.0 allowable for record purposes.
The state wind-legal record is 10.25 set by Henry Thomas (Hawthorne/SS) in 1985. Vista Murrieta's Michael Norman previously held the No. 2 wind-legal spot at 10.27.
Another Vista Murrieta runner, Javelin Guidry, ran 10.13 to win the CIF-State title last June in windy conditions (3.8), as the fastest all-conditions 100m in California history.
Hampton, who has signed with Michigan, ranks No. 4 in the US in the 100m in all conditions and No. 2 among wind-legal leaders. It was his third consecutive CBL title in the 100m.
He came back later in Thursday's meet to lower his CA No. 2 ranking in the 200m at 21.17 (0.4). While that is a season best, Hampton has a PR of 20.94 (3.5) from the CIF-Southern Section prelims as a junior.
Hampton (Scott Padgett photo above) has won 10 of 11 races at the 100 meter distance this season. The only blemish was a third-place finish at Arcadia with a then season-best and CA-leading time of 10.47. That race was won by Austin Kratz (Dock Mennonite Academy/PA) in 10.34 (1.5) with Eric Allen Jr. (Bullis School/MD) second in 10.43. Hampton has now passed both of those sprinters in the US ranking.
Riding that 3.8-mps gust at Clovis Buchanan HS last June, Hampton ran a then all-conditions PR of 10.40 for 4th in the State 100m final. While he is the clear favorite for the CIF-State title in the 100 meters, Murrieta Mesa senior Christian Shakir-Ricks made a statement with his sprint times at Wednesday's Southwestern League Finals that the race for fastest in CA is just getting started.
Shakir-Ricks ran 10.53 (0.4) in the 100m, second-fastest in CA so far this spring, and he took over the state lead in the 200 with a blistering 21.08 (0.4) well ahead of teammate Matthew Okonkwo, who was second in 21.60.
Shakir-Ricks was 4th in that race at Arcadia (10.58). He and Hampton went head-to-head a week later at the Inland Empire Championships with Hampton winning in 10.49 (1.9) with Okonkwo second (10.85) and Shakir-Ricks third (10.92). And again the following week at the Mt. SAC Relays at El Camino College where Hampton prevailed in 10.51 (1.4) with Shakir-Ricks second in 10.73.
In the 200, Hampton prevailed at Arcadia, running 21.35 (0.4) for 3rd overall with Shakir-Ricks 5th in 21.43, behind San Diego Madison's Kenan Christon (21.42). It was the Yucaipa senior also winning at the Chandler (Ariz.) Invitational, running 10.54 as the overall winner. Shakir-Ricks was 3rd in 10.69 (0.2).
Check out our interview with Asani Hampton from earlier this year: