Oaks Christian’s Lauren Rain Williams dominates in winning Southern Section titles in girls’ 100 and 200 meters
Lauren Rain Williams of Oaks Christian sweeps sprints.
There’s no disputing the star power of Lauren Rain WIlliams, the junior sprinter from Westlake Village Oaks Christian who has a joyful smile and runs with meticulously crafted braids flying around her head.
On a blustery Saturday afternoon at Cerritos College, Williams relied on her continuous burst of speed to put herself in the company of California sprint greats Angela Williams, Marion Jones and Allyson Felix.
She won the Southern Section Division 4 championship in the 100 meters in a wind-aided 11.17 seconds, the all-time fourth-best time in California under all conditions. The wind gauge was 3.5 meters per second (2.0 is the maximum allowed). Only Williams, Jones and Felix have run faster.
“I’m in love with Allyson Felix,” Williams said. “She’s been an inspiration. To be up with her is great.”
In the 200, Williams ran a wind-aided 22.44 (2.5 wind), third-best all-time nationally. Again, that puts her up with Felix, the 2012 Olympics champion in the 200.
Williams looks much stronger than a year ago after working hard in the weight room. Perhaps she has been receiving training tips from her many Oaks Christian football admirers, since she serves as an athletic trainer for the team.
“When I saw the 11.1, I was surprised because I didn’t have that great of a start,” she said. “I think I can come close to 11 seconds without the wind. It’s in me.”
She’ll next run in Friday’s Masters Meet at Cerritos College, then perhaps the state championships June 3-4 in Clovis.
State record holder Michael Norman of Vista Murrieta was given the green light to go “all out,” but his times were not to his liking. He won the Division 1 400 in 46.43. Afterward, he looked winded, stopping in the infield several times to drop to his knees. He came back to win the 200 in 21.22.
“My body felt tired,” he said. “I’m definitely disappointed but I can’t be too mad. My main focus was to help us win the team title.”
Defending state 100 champion T.J. Brock of West Hills Chaminade won the Division 3 100 in a wind-aided 10.35. He scratched from the 200 as a precaution after feeling tightness in his hamstring.
Isaac Cortes of Temecula Great Oak had an impressive double, winning the Division 1 800 in 1:50.55 and the 1,600 in 4:07.66. Jasher Foster of La Cañada St. Francis won the Division 3 110 highs in 14.03 and the 300 hurdles in 37.69.
Earnest Sears of Mission Hills Alemany cleared 7 feet to win the Division 3 high jump. Jett Gordon of Huntington Beach Marina set a Division 2 record in winning the pole vault with a mark of 17-2.
Junior Tara Davis of Agoura won three events in Division 2 girls — the long jump at 20-8 1/4; the triple jump at 41-10 1/4 and the 100 hurdles in 13.64. Rachel Baxter of Anaheim Canyon set a Division 2 record in the girls’ pole vault at 13-3.
Temecula Great Oak won the boys’ and girls’ Division 1 titles while Sherman Oaks Notre Dame won its 10th boys’ title in Division 3.
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