Locals Are On Track for L.A. Invitational

Chris Morgan of Woodland Hills Taft, the defending City Section champion in the 110 high hurdles and the long jump, is among the elite prep athletes who will compete Saturday in the 41st Los Angeles Invitational track and field meet at the Sports Arena.

About 2,000 athletes will participate in the high school portion of the meet.

The shot and discus events will be staged at USC’s Cromwell Field at 9 a.m. Indoor events begin at 11 a.m.

Competition in open events begins at 6 p.m.

Ryan Hall of Big Bear, Anita Siraki of Glendale Hoover and Angel Perkins of Cerritos Gahr will participate in open events.

“These kids have gone beyond the high school ranks,” meet promoter Don Franken said. “I think this is the most [prep athletes] we’ve ever had in the open running events.”

Hall, the defending boys’ state champion in the 3,200 meters, and Siraki, the defending girls’ 3,200 champion, will compete in the men’s and women’s open-mile races.

Perkins, who finished second in the state in the 400 meters last year, will run in the women’s open 500.

Franken said high school athletes from Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana and Nevada also will participate.

“We feel like this is one of the top indoor events for high school athletes in the nation,” Franken said. “It’s a chance for these kids to compete against each other and then stick around to watch some of the world’s best in the evening.”

Morgan will compete in the 50-meter sprint, the 50-meter hurdles and the long jump.

Lashinda Demus of Long Beach Wilson is competing in the girls’ 500. Jason Lovell of Reseda Cleveland and Jibril Raymo of Beverly Hills are among those entered in the boys’ 500.

Among the participants in the Football 50 race are Jahlamb Sinclair of Westchester, Lamar Ferguson of Inglewood, Matthew Clark of Reseda Cleveland and Darren Shorter of Cypress.