Track and field: Now that the 400 relays are over, order is restored

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Most of the top 1,600-meter runners at the CIF state preliminaries Friday advanced to Saturday’s state finals at Cerritos College.

Scott Blair of Trabuco Hills, who came into the meet with the state’s 20th-best time this season, made the biggest stride in the boy’s race, chipping about a half-second off his season-best effort to finish fifth in his heat in 4 minutes 14.72 seconds and grab one of 12 qualifying spots.

Christine Babcock of Irvine Woodbridge, pictured from an earlier race, who set a national record of 4:36.57 last week in the girls’ 1,600 during the Masters meet, kept it in low gear this time around, but still took top qualifying honors at 4:53.67. Babcock will try to become the first runner to win three consecutive state titles in the event since Kira Jorgensen of Vista from 1987-89.

-- Dan Arritt

-- Image by Lori Shepler/Los Angeles Times

Note: For up-to-the-minute results of the state meet, check here.