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Lots and lots of factors play into a record being broken, the right field of athletes, weather, health and more. We could potentially see 6 new meet records set this weekend, if all of these factors align properly. We broke down quickly the different events that could see their current records fall and who is eyeing the record.
Boys 110m Hurdles - This one may be a stretch as the closest contender to breaking the 43 year old record has only run semi-close to this mark once, at regionals. Malachi Quarles is the only athlete entered in the field that has gone under 14 seconds and he did that last in the regional finals last week. Milliseconds in sprint events work just the same as seconds do in the distance events, it takes a lot to shave that little bit off. 13.64 is a daunting number but if anyone is up for that challenge, Quarles looks primed to do so.
Boys 800 - This may be the fastest field we have seen in a long while. 11 of the 14 guys in section 2 hit the state standard at the regional level and most of them have run faster before that as well. Only two athletes in this field are scheduled to run in the 1600 as well, making the field nearly all racing on fresh legs, minus those who may run on their teams 4x800 teams earlier in the meet. Now this record will be a tough one as well to get, as someone will have to go under that 1:50 mark for the first time. It may even take a couple athletes going under that mark to get there as the record currently stands at 1:49.25 set back in 2011 by Austin Mudd. There's just a few athletes that appear like they could be chasing down their first track state title and getting their name in the record books. Cole Hocker, Gabe Sanchez, and Dustin Hudak appear to be that core group that should be going 1-2-3. Hocker won't be fresh unlike Sanchez and Hudak as he's set to race the 1600 earlier in the day.
Boys Pole Vault - This one will really take everything for Nathan Stone coming together at the right moment if he wants to break the state meet record set just last year, where he took 2nd. Since last year Stone has been clearing higher and higher bars and doesn't look like he's slowing down anytime soon. He currently sits at US No.1 after clearly 17-6 at the Mt. Vernon Sectional 2 weeks ago. At regional he made it over 17-0.75. Just like in distance and sprints what seems like a small amount to someone who doesn't know the sport, is a lot for vaulters. He may only have to clear .5 inches high than he has before to grab that state meet record, but that is a daunting task to do. Now to go one step further and dethrone Deakin Volz from the all-time state record will take a clearance of 17-11.5. Stone is confident, but he knows anything could happen and is more focused on getting the win first.
Girls High Jump - Shelby Tyler's already eclipsed the 6 foot mark a couple of times now, all during the indoor season. She's gotten up to 5-11 this outdoor season, but she's also been playing double duty in the pole vault with a real shot at medaling in that event as well. Just like everything else "well it's just two more inches, that's no big deal" says the person that doesn't know the sport as well. Two inches for a high jumper is a big deal and it will take ideal conditions and the steps coming together correctly for Tyler to get her name in the record book permanently. Another variance here will be if she's already been competing at the pole vault before she starts going for those jumps, as that will take away some of her fire power.
Girls 100 - This one will rely heavily on the weather on Saturday afternoon and the 9 girls that make finals to push each other enough the that state meet record quality of a time. In 2017, Lynna Irby managed to throw down a 11.41 to win, at the time her 10th state title, 2 more would come later in the day. Three girls that were in that race will take the stage again this weekend and take a shot at taking that record away from Irby and cementing their own into the books. Now this will be a daunting task for Killebrew, Yeast and Brown as the best time this season that any of them have run is an 11.50 by Killebrew at County. Back in 2017 the finish went Killebrew (3rd), Brown (5th), Yeast (8th) but this year they could go 1-2-3 with Blue-Williams and Herbert potentially disturbing that group. This record will again rely heavily on which 9 make finals and how well they can push each other no matter what the weather is.
Girls Long Jump - This is one that we know Prommyse Hoosier has been seeking all season and has been adamant about wanting her name in that spot in history. She has jumped the state meet record once this season, back in April at the Red Devil Inferno. But since then she has not been able to break into that 20 foot range. Her coaches know what they're doing though, and she trusts them, Saturday could be the breakthrough day for her to grab that mark. Last year she jumped 20-7 at Junior Nats in Bloomington so we know she is capable of getting that far into the pit, now it's just putting everything she knows together and getting there.