Burroughs’ Chahal goes distance, qualifies for state twice
TORRANCE — To lay claim to being the best athlete in any track and field event in the CIF Southern Section is no small feat.
Thanks to his rugged feet, Burroughs High’s Jagdeep Chahal secured such glory.
The senior was one of two Indians along with senior pole vaulter Elizabeth Switzer looking to earn a spot to the state meet out of Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Masters Meet at El Camino College in Torrance.
Chahal advanced and more, winning the 1,600-meter run and finishing third in the 3,200, while becoming his school’s first dual event qualifier to state this century. Not to be forgotten, Switzer also punched her ticket by tying for seventh in the pole vault. Both will head to the two-day CIF State Meet in Clovis Buchanan High, beginning Friday.
Chahal entered the 1,600 fresh off a Division I championship the previous weekend, which was the third-best time among Southern Section runners heading into Saturday’s meet.
The Indians senior was midway through the pack after two laps before beginning his closing kick. Chahal utilized a mini swim move to pass up West Torrance’s Rory Abberton and Redlands East Valley’s Elias Opsahl over the final 200 meters to storm to a victory in a mark of 4 minutes, 11.09 seconds, which further dropped his school record.
“I was just hoping for the best at the end and I was thinking about finishing this race and looking forward to the 3,200,” he said. “I was boxed in at the end and I was looking for the smallest opening so I can slip in and get through.”
As for the 3,200, Chahal was as far back as second-to-last at one point before making his move toward the end of the sixth lap and sprinting over the final 300 meters en route to finishing third in 9:04.83, which easily qualified him to state.
While the mark was off his school record of 9:00.61, Chahal enjoyed more history as he became his school’s first qualifier in two events to state since Ralph Turner in 1961.
“When you have opportunities to do your best, you have to take them,” Chahal said. “I’m just happy I was able to run my hardest.”
The last time the Indians qualified two athletes to state was in 2001 when 800-meter runner Carolyn Brown and 1,600-meter runner Tony Ahr advanced to Sacramento.
Seventeen years later, the accomplishment was matched as Switzer earned a spot to Clovis by tying for seventh in the pole vault with a height of 11 feet, 11 inches.
The senior hit her first attempts at 10-11 and 11-5 before missing on two tries at 11-11.
With her season on the line, Switzer cleared the CIF State at-large mark of 11-11 on her final attempt to move on to state.
“It was scary when I had to make it on my third jump of the qualifier, so that was stressing me out,” Switzer said. “Like last week, I had the same thing happen to me. So, I just kind of bailed out, but I used all my strength just to get over it and I didn’t really care how good the jump was. I just wanted to make it.”
Switzer earned three attempts at 12-5, which would have broken the school record of 12-3.
Fortunately for record holder Sarah Prystupa, Switzer missed on her three tries and the school record held for another weekend.
“I’m hoping next week we can do it,” Switzer said. “I’m hoping.”
Switzer joined Christian Valles (2017), Prystupa (2016) and Matthew Schwartz (2014) as recent Burroughs state qualifiers in the pole vault. Former All-Area Boys’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year Valles also advanced to state after finishing fourth in the boys’ pole vault as a member of Canyon Country Canyon team with a mark of 15-9. The senior’s best mark at Burroughs was 15 feet.
“I was 90% confident that she would definitely go state,” Burroughs vaults coach Mike McHorney said of Switzer. “She’s such a competitor. She doesn’t know how to say die or quit and she keeps working hard. We’ll see if she gets that record.”
Twitter: @campadresports
