Performance results in athletics are easily understood across time zones and cultures around the world. Unlike words and their pronunciation in different languages, numbers do not need an explanation to be understood. It also helps that the metric system of distance measurement dominates throughout the world.

Athletics competitors from all over the world are interested in comparing their performances with those of athletes from other countries. Here are the current United States high school track and field records through 2007, followed by the current best performances by high school competitors in 2008:

US men’s high school track and field records

100 meters: 10.08 – 10.17 by Jeff Demps of South Lake High School in Groveland (FL).

200 meters: 20.13 – 20.80 by Markus Henderson of Lewisville (TX) High School.

400 meters: 44.69 – 46.41 by Tavaris Tate of Starkville (MS).

800 meters: 1:46.45 – 1:48.97 by Joseph Franklin of Godby in Tallahassee (FL).

1500 meters: 3:38.26 – 3:52:63 indoors by Colby Lowe of Carroll in Southlake (TX)

1,600 meters: Record of 3:53.43 set at an equivalent yardage distance: 4:05.57 by Germán Fernández of Riverbank (CA).

3000 meters: 8:03.67 – 8:16.0 by Luke Puskedra of Judge Memorial Catholic in Salt Lake City (UT).

3,200 meters: 8:36.3 2 miles) – 8:46.40 by Luke Puskedra of Judge Memorial Catholic.

5000m: 13:37.91 – 13:55.96 by Chris Derrick of Neuqua Valley in Naperville, IL – (Derrick’s time is the US record for a high school-only race.)

110 meter high hurdles: record of 13.22 set at equivalent yardage distance: 13.51 by Spencer Adams of Butler in Charlotte (NC).

300 meter intermediate hurdles: 35.28 – 36.28 by William Wynne of McEachern in Powder Springs (GA).

400 meter intermediate hurdles: 49.38 – 50.46 by Reggie Wyatt of La Sierra in Riverside (CA).

4×100 meter relay: 39.76 – 40.26 by Rowlett (TX) High School.

4×200 meter relay: 1:23.31 – 1:24.06 – Hightower in Sugar Land (TX).

4×400 meter relay: 3:07.40 – 3:11.87 by Domínguez in Compton (CA).

4×800 meter relay: 7:32.89 – 7:44.39 by North Penn in Lansdale (PA).

Sprint Medley Relay: 3:21.1 – 3:26.16 by Mid-Prairie Community in Wellman (IA).

Medley Relay distance: 9:49.78 – 10:02.47 by Carroll in Southlake (TX).

High Jump: 7-7 – 7-3.75 indoors by Eric Kynard of Rogers in Toledo (OH).

Pole Vault: 18-3 – 17-4.5 by Nico Weiler in Los Gatos (CA).

Long jump: 26-9.25 – 25-6.75 indoors by Christian Taylor of Sandy Creek in Tyrone (GA).

Triple jump: 54-10.25 – 52-4.75 by Will Claye of Mountain Pointe in Phoenix (AZ).

Shot Put: 81-3.5 – 70-6 by Jordan Clarke of Bartlett in Anchorage, AK.

Discus Throw: 234-3 – 222-1 by Mason Finley of Buena Vista (CO). (No. 3 of all time).

Hammer Throw: 255-11 – 244-8 by Trent Kraychir of Twentynine Palms (CA). (No. 3 of all time).

Javelin Throw: 241-11 – 223-8 by Kyle Smith of Daphne (AL).

(Note: Leaders based on verified marks as legal wind in sprints, hurdles, and horizontal jumps. Only fully automatic times listed for sprints and high hurdles.)

US women’s high school track and field records

100 meters: 11.11 – 11.16 by Victoria Jordan of Dunbar High School in Fort Worth (TX).

200 meters: 22.11 – 23.43 indoors by Ashton Purvis of St. Elizabeth in Oakland (CA).

400 Meters: 50.69 – 52.83 indoors by Nadonnia Rodriques of Boys & Girls in Brooklyn (NY).

800 meters: 2:00.07 – 2:03.20 by Chanelle Price in Easton (PA).

1,500 meters: 4:16.6 – 4:17.46 by Jordan Hasay of Mission Prep in San Luis Obispo (CA). (No. 7 performance of all time; Hasay also has the No. 4 and No. 5 performances of all time in 2007 and is a threat to break the US high school record.)

Mile: 4:35.24 – 4:41.22 by Stephanie Morgan of Barnesville (OH).

3000 meters: 9:08.06 – 9:23.90 by Jordan Hasay of Mission Prep in San Luis Obispo.

3200 meters – 9:48.59 – 10:03.07 by Jordan Hasay of Mission Prep.

5000 meters: 15:52.88 – 17:03.79 indoors by Chelsea Law from Kingsway in Woolwich Township (NJ).

100 meter hurdles: 12.95 – 13.26 by Jacquelyn Coward of West in Knoxville (TN).

300 meter hurdles: 39.98 – 40.96 by Donique Flemings of Saginaw (TX).

400 meter hurdles: 55.20 – 58.96 by Ryann Krais of Methacton in Norristown (PA).

4×100 meter relay: 44.50 – 45.17 by Dunbar in Fort Worth (TX).

4×200 meter relay: 1:33.87 – 1:35.94 by Dunbar in Fort Worth (TX).

4×400 meter relay: 3:35.49 – 3:37.16 by Roosevelt at Greenbelt (MD).

4×800 meter relay: 8:50.41 – 8:43.12 by Roosevelt at Greenbelt (MD). (New US high school record set this year.)

4xMile Relay: 19:56.75 – 20:10.76 by Saugus in La Crescenta (CA). (No. 3 performance of all time).

Medley Relay distance: 11:33.42 – 11:42.16 by Roxbury in Succasunna (NJ).

High Jump: 6-4 – 6-0.25 of Victoria Lucas in Midland (TX).

Pole Vault: 14-1.25 – 14-0 by Rachel Laurent of Vanderbilt Catholic in Houma (LA). (No. 2 all-time and a threat to break the US high school record.)

Long jump: 22-3 – 20-3.5 by Jacinda Evans of Southern in Durham (NC).

Triple jump: 44-11.75 – 42-8.75 indoors by Vashti Thomas from Mt. Pleasant in San Jose (CA).

Shot Put: 54-10.75 – 52-4 indoors by Karen Shump of Penncrest in Media (PA).

Discus Throw: 188-4 – 183-11 by Anastasia Jelmini of Shafter (CA).

Hammer Throw: 201-7 – 179-0 by Victoria Flowers of Classical in Providence (RI).

Javelin Throw: 176-5 – 167-11 by Hannah Carson of Rhodes Junior High School in Mesa (AZ). (New record for US high school freshmen)

(Note: Leaders based on verified marks as legal wind in sprints, hurdles, and horizontal jumps. Only fully automatic times listed for sprints and high hurdles.)

Highlights of the boys and girls from 2008 so far:

All the highlights of 2008 so far have been produced by girls, led by Roosevelt High School’s new US high school record of 8:43.12 in the 4×800 meter relay, breaking the current record of 8:50.41 . Roosevelt is located in Greenbelt (MD). Think for a moment about how difficult it would be to find 4 girls on a high school track team who could AVERAGE less than 2:11 for the 800 meter dash.

The second best effort comes from Jordan Hasay of Mission Prep in San Luis Obispo (CA). Hasay has run 4:17.46 in the 1,500 meters and ran two races faster over the same distance in 2007. The US high school record for the 1,500 meters is 4:16.6, a less than a second away.

Will he set a new US high school record? The odds say yes. He also has the current best times nationally in the 3,000 and 3,200 meter races. She has to be the first female high school middle distance runner in the country.

Rachel Laurent of Vanderbilt Catholic High School in Houma, LA is just 1.25 inches short of tying the US high school record of 14 feet 1.25 inches in the pole vault. Her best height so far is 14 feet, even. Will she be able to set the national record? I say yes, she can.

Watch out for Hannah Carson from Rhodes Junior High School in Mesa (AZ). She has thrown the javelin 167 feet 11 inches to set a new US high school freshman record. The national record is 176 feet 5 inches. Wow, she has an amazing opportunity to get a national record before she graduates from high school.

We will keep you posted on the final results for 2008 after the state and district high school competitions take place. I’m sensing some newer national records from these outstanding young ladies.

Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley