The goal of every area athlete and team heading to Murfreesboro this week is to bring back a state championship. But there are several track athletes who may not be satisfied with simply winning first-place medals.
Howard sprinter LaQuisha Jackson, who had the fastest times in the 100 and 200 races last year for all classifications, is on pace to break state records in those events that have stood for 30 years or more. Her time in the 200 (24.10) is already better than the state meet record of 24.14 set in 1978 and her time in the 100 (11.88) is just behind the state record of 11.84 set in 1980.
Considering she’s only a sophomore, it seems inevitable that she will own both records before her career is over.
“My goal going into this week are to break both records,” Jackson said. “First I want to win, but I really want to get both those records. My teammates have been pumping me up about it and I get excited already thinking about the crowd and the chance to do something like that.”
Jackson also runs the anchor leg of the 4×100 and 4×200 relays, both of which won state titles last year and she has qualified in the pentathlon. The Lady Hustln’ Tigers’ 4×100 time is one second off a 10-year old state record and Howard’s boys’ 4×100 relay is less than a second off the the mark set in 1983.