HIGH SCHOOL TRACK AND FIELD : Top Athletes to Compete Starting Today at Mt. SAC

An estimated 3,000 high school athletes will compete in the 35th Mt. San Antonio Relays today and Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.

The biggest high school meet in the state will hold most of its events today, beginning with the two-mile relay at 8 a.m. and ending with the four-mile relay at 7 p.m. Only two races are scheduled for Saturday, the invitational 400-meter relay and 100-meter dash, beginning at 2:15 p.m.

Although most of the state’s top names will compete, it is unclear whether national sprint leader Marion Jones of Thousand Oaks will. As of Thursday, she was not registered in any individual events and said she was uncertain if she would run in any relays. Thousand Oaks’ coaches did not return phone calls.

Jones, who leads the nation in the 100, 200 and long jump this season, is under suspension by USA Track and Field for missing a drug test last September. The meet is sanctioned by USATF, but Jones’ suspension does not cover high school events, so she is free to compete.

Michael Granville of Bell Gardens, a freshman who won the 800 at the Arcadia Invitational last week, will run the invitational 400 today at 12:35 p.m. His 800 time last week of 1:51.16 set a national freshman record.

After the high school events end tonight, the invitational distance carnival begins at 7:30. Included on the program are a men’s distance medley relay, women’s 3,000 meters, men’s steeplechase, men’s and women’s 5,000, and men’s and women’s 10,000.