John Rutledge anchors Longhorns to 400 relay victory with late sprint at Texas Relays
If the Texas Relays are a good indicator, the Texas Longhorns have a budding star in sophomore sprinter John Rutledge.
The 400-meter relay became Rutledge's platform to showcase his talent and win points with head track and field coach Edrick Floréal. With his team trailing when he was handed the baton for the anchor leg, Rutledge blazed around the final corner and bolted to the finish line with the roar of a pro-UT crowd pushing him forward.
Rutledge thrust his arms into the air after the scoreboard revealed that Texas had won the race with a time of 39.22 seconds. Texas Tech was a close second at 39.27.
The 400-meter was among the most memorable races during an afternoon session that witnessed multiple stadium and Texas Relays records for high school and college athletes Saturday. Among the local winners was the boys 1,600-relay team from Round Rock High.
"I love catching people from behind," the Dallas Highland Park graduate said. "I like to challenge myself."
Rutledge joined teammates Almond Small, Milton Sheldin and Marcellus Moore for the gold medal presentation.
Among the interested spectators was Floréal, who recently moved Rutledge to short sprints.
"I'm setting (Rutledge) up to be a star," the UT coach said. "When you want someone to get to the next level, you force him into pressure situations like this one to see how he'll respond. He could have taken it and totally choked it up. To see him embrace it, that's a new notch."
As for Round Rock, the relay team of Jeremy Evans, Zach Evans, Jonathan Ferrell and Mason Page rallied for victory in the 1,600 relay. Their time of 3:15.15 edged runner-up Long Beach Wilson, which finished at 3:15.42.
Around the Texas Relays
Records are toppled: The high school field, expanded to include powerhouse teams from California, Florida and Washington, D.C., created an exhibition of speed and endurance. During one stretch, three meet records were broken in a one-hour span.
American Heritage High of Plantation, Fla., set a Texas Relays record in the boys 800-meter relay (Division II), beating runner-up Scotlandville High of Baton Rouge, La., by nearly three seconds. The team of Braden Parris, Braylen Bennett, Brandon Bennett and Xavier Lucas won the race in 1:23.76.
The girls of Lewisville Flower Mound set a meet record in the 3,200-meter relay. The team of Nicole Humphries, Samantha Humphries, Adeline Bennett and Alexandra Fox torched the course in 8:46.30, roughly 35 seconds ahead of runner-up Lake Creek.
Moments later, Long Beach Wilson set a Myers Stadium record with a blazing performance in the 3,200-meter relay. The team of Jordan Kicherlow, Cash Obando, Wyland Obando and JT Kreamer crossed the line at 7:41.02.
Archbishop Carroll of Washington set a Texas Relays record in the 400-meter relay (Division I). The team of Dezmone Starks, Jake Odey-Jordan, Chase DeJesus and Damill Bostic won the race in 40.73 seconds, edging Seguin, which finished at 41.48.
Duncanville set a Myers Stadium record in the girls 400-meter relay (Division II). The team of Ayson Theus, DaKorien Moore, Brayden Williams and Caden Durham won the race in 39.73 seconds.
A star among stars: The meet's top star? A case could be made for sprinter Gabby Thomas, who represented New Balance. She won the 100- and 200-meter races. The 200-meter time of 22.08 seconds set a stadium record. A Harvard graduate, she resides and trains in Austin. Thomas was later pursuing a master's degree in epidemiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston at its Austin campus.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Record-setting day as Texas Relays wrap up in Austin
