Jamar Marshall runs record 110 hurdles at U20 Nationals

Jun 24, 2019

Jamar Marshall, second from left, crosses the line in the 110-meter hurdles final at the U20 Outdoor Championships, setting a state record with the No. 3 time in U.S. prep history. (Credit: Reily Anderson)

Jamar Marshall, who just completed his junior year at Stockton St. Mary's High School, got a first, a second and two thirds out of one very special 110-meter hurdles race at the U20 National Outdoor meet over the weekend in Florida.

While Marshall placed third in the race against collegiate hurdlers, his time of 13.22 (1.5) is the fastest in California high school history. In winning the 110 hurdles title at last month's CIF-State Meet, Marshall ran 13.31 (3.3), which ranked as the No. 2 all-conditions mark in CA history.

On Saturday night at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida, Tai Brown (University of Kentucky) won the race in 13.204 and runner-up Eric Edwards (University of Oregon) hit the line at 13.209. Just behind, Marshall crossed into history.

"When I saw the clock, I was in shock," Marshall wrote in a social media exchange. "I didn't know what to do, like, 'I really just ran that?'

"I was so happy but, on the inside, I knew I could've done a lot more stuff better."

Wayne Davis of Southeast HS in Raleigh, NC, set the national record of 13.08 in 2009 and also ran 13.19 that year. Marshall now ranks as the No. 2 performer and No. 3 performance in prep track and field history.

"I've been training my butt off for this moment," Marshall wrote. "Running a 13.22 felt the best. It was the best experience I could have asked for. I'm just blessed. Thanks to my coaches and my family."

Marshall wasn't the only California athlete to make noise in Florida over the weekend. Jason Gomez, who won the CIF-State 800m title in 2018 as a senior at Campbell Westmont (CC), dropped out of his signature event and then leaned on his half-mile speed to win the 1500 in 4:25.83. He had qualified third in 800 prelims (1:52.02) but said he dropped out of the final.

MileSplit National Editor Cory Mull spoke with Gomez after his 1500 victory

In winning the 1500, Gomez, now at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, CA, earned a spot on the U.S. team for next month's Pan Am U20 Games in Costa Rica.

In qualifying for the 800, Gomez won his heat and placed third overall (1:52.02) but wasn't able to finish in the final. But in the 1500, he went out at 1:00.868, eased back to 1:22.143, and then started to crank it up, running 1:10.929 on his third lap and closing in 51.888.

USC's Saml Van Dorpe, a 2018 graduate of Santa Ana Mater Dei (SS), placed sixth in the 800 (1:54.06) after placing sixth in prelims (1:52.25).

In the woman's triple jump, Kali Hatcher earned a spot on the team going to Costa Rica, placing second (41-08.00/1.4). Hatcher, from Berkeley St. Mary's College HS (NC) and now at Columbia University, was a four-time State Meet finals qualifier in the triple jump, placing seventh, third, second and fourth between 2015-18.

Here's a sampling of other top finishers at U20s with CA prep roots:

Jabriel Smith, formerly of Riverside North (SS) now at Riverside City College, was sixth in the 100 (10.38/2.3)
Elizabeth Funk, a 2019 graduate of Clovis West (CS) who is headed to San Diego State, placed fifth in the pole vault (12-11.50) competing unattached. During the season, Funk cleared a CA-best 13-09, which equalled the No. 3 jump in state history.
Paige Sommers, who just completed her sophomore season at Westlake HS (SS), placed seventh in the pole vault (12-05.50) competing unattached.
Alyssa Brewer, a two-time CIF-State 800-meter champion at San Ramon California HS (NC) now at USC, placed fifth in the two-lapper, 2:09.43.
The woman's discus field had a Golden State feel to it as Hannah Hall placed seventh (162-02), Ana Tovi placed eighth (159-11) and Erica Grotegeer was 10th (151-09). Hall, now at the University of Miami (Fla.), who also placed eighth in the shot put (46-03.50), was second at the 2018 State Meet as a senior at James Logan (NC). Tovi, from San Bernardino San Gorgonio HS (SS) now at Cal Poly Pomona, was a two-time State Meet qualifier in the throws. Grotegeer, who won the State discus title for Wheatland (NS) in 2018, is now at San Diego State.
Dominique Ruotolo, formerly of Santa Ana Mater Dei (SS), placed sixth in the triple jump (41-02.00/0.6) while competing for Leap Squad TC.

Allanah Lee, third in the triple jump at the 2018 CIF-State Championships as a senior at Castro Valley (NC), placed ninth in that event (40-07) competing for the University of Oklahoma.
Arianna Fisher, the 2018 CIF-State triple jump champion as a senior at San Jose Silver Creek (CC), placed 11th in that event (40-02) competing for the Universsity of Missouri
Max McKhann, from Dana Hills (SS) now at Stanford, placed third in the men's hammer throw (203-00).