Records fall for Taft’s Anderson, many more

Whether on foot or by air, the athletes who competed Saturday at the state track and field championships at Sacramento City College delivered one of the more entertaining meets in recent memory.

Jeshua Anderson of Woodland Hills Taft broke a 22-year-old national record in the boys’ 300-meter hurdles.

Reggie Wyatt of Riverside North lowered his sophomore national record while finishing second to Anderson.

Bryshon Nellum of Long Beach Poly lowered his nation-leading marks while defending his titles in the 200 and 400.

Christine Babcock of Irvine Woodbridge broke a 25-year-old meet record in the girls’ 1,600.

And those were just the highlights from the Southland’s competitors.

Tori Anthony of Palo Alto Castilleja broke a national high school record in the girls’ pole vault, and KeNyia Richardson of Oakland Holy Names won the girls’ triple jump with the nation’s all-time second-best mark under any conditions.

Vashti Thomas of San Jose Mount Pleasant broke a meet record in the 100 hurdles and produced the state’s all-time third-best mark.

Los Gatos’ Nico Weiler, an exchange student from Germany, broke the meet record in the boys’ pole vault.

Their combined performances almost overshadowed several other top marks by Southland athletes.

Terry Prentice of Pomona Diamond Ranch repeated his titles in the long jump and 110 hurdles, giving him four and moving him into a tie for third with Nellum for the most individual titles in state meet history.

Joe Canavan of Palm Desert won the boys’ shotput to highlight a dominating performance by Southern Section athletes in the boys’ field events.

But the 300 hurdles stole the show. Anderson won the race in 35.28 seconds, eclipsing the previous national record of 35.32, set by George Porter of Lompoc Cabrillo in 1985.

“I knew the national record was one of my goals this year, and I’m glad I got to accomplish it when I did, in my last year,” said Anderson, who has signed to play football at Washington State.

Anderson said he was spurred on by his first race against Wyatt, who had twice lowered the national sophomore record during the postseason. Wyatt finished in 35.90, surpassing his personal best of 36.52.

“I heard him from behind,” Anderson said. “I kind of got my turnover moving a lot faster.”

Nellum accomplished his goal of breaking 46 seconds in the 400, winning in 45.54. He also set another personal record in the 200, winning in a wind-legal 20.43. Nellum also anchored both winning relay teams, tying him with two others for the most gold medals in state history and helping the Jackrabbits win the team title over Riverside North, 46-32.

Nellum said his highlight was breaking the 46-second barrier in the one-lap race.

“I just made sure I was in first before I got off the last curve, and I just ran it on home.”

The girls’ 1,600 also lived up to its billing. Anna Sperry of Simi Valley led the field through the first lap, but Babcock followed closely until taking the lead for good midway through the race.

She separated herself from the others on the third lap and went on to win in 4:38.85, the second-fastest time ever in National High School Federation competition. Sperry finished second in 4:52.37, and Shelby Buckley of Corona del Mar was third in 4:52.55.

Mount Pleasant won the girls’ team title, 44-27, over Hercules.

dan.arritt@latimes.com