Kenan Christon put up an epic sprint double at the San Diego Section Prelims. (Frank Bellino/file)
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CORRECTION: This article has been updated to correct Christon's 100m time to 10.26. The time was initially reported at 10.24 but subsequently corrected by the timers.
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SAN DIEGO -- Someone must have forgotten to tell Madison's Kenan Christon that Saturday's track meet at Mt. Carmel High was the San Diego Section PRELIMS.
First he roared to a 10.26-second time in the 100-meter dash but he had an idea that it might be wind-aided. It was -- but barely at 2.6 mps, .6 above the allowable for record purposes.
When he came back to scorch a wind-legal national-best 20.55 in the 200, he almost couldn't believe it.
While all of the top boys athletes made it through to the championships next week, the focus clearly fell on Christon, the senior who will be playing football for USC in the fall. That came before there was a 45-minute delay near the end of the meet when there were lightning strikes nearby.
But earlier, the biggest noise was Christon and the wind in the 100.
"I knew it was blowing a bit," said Christian after his 100 time that actually was faster than the section-record 10.30 run by Southwest High's Riley Washington winning the state championship in 1990.
It is the fastest time in section history under all conditions and is the eighth-fastest in state history under all conditions.
When he settled into the blocks for the 200, the wind had calmed a bit but he was still surprised that the 20.55 was aided by a legal 1.9 mps breeze.
"I wasn't trying to run that fast," said Christon. "I think the momentum for the 100 might have carried me. I pushed hard on the curve and for about 20 more meters. I was striding out after that, certainly not running for a record
"It felt great. It was better than Escondido (when he ran 20.67 two weeks ago) because I was going for the record at Escondido."
The 20.55 was the fastest time in the nation without aiding wind heading into Saturday's competition. The 20.52 run by Dallas Bishop Dunne Catholic's was aided by a monster 3.9 mps wind. Christon's time is the fifth fastest in state history and he joins Michael Norman as the only sprinters in California to run sub-31 combined 100-200 PRs over the past decade.
Now here's the scary part.
"I think can run much better," said Christon, pointing out that it is expected to be warmer and dry for the championships. "Actually I think I might run much better."