BC High's Thomas gets jump on competition

The Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association Elite meet started off with a bang, thanks to Corey Thomas.

Thomas, a BC High senior, broke Greg Gonsalves's 28-year-old meet record of 7 feet 1/4 inches in the high jump by clearing 7- 1/2 to start the competition at the Reggie Lewis Center yesterday.

Thomas was a half-inch short on his first attempt at the record. On his second, his legs knocked the bar off. But on his final try, Thomas cleared the bar and landed clean on the blue cushion below. Thomas shot his left fist in the air victoriously.

"It was like cloud nine; just up there," Thomas said after breaking the record. "It was the first time I actually broke 7 [feet] so I am very happy."

The senior then had three attempts to clear 7-1, but had used all his energy. "My legs were getting tired and my shin hurt," he said.

Thomas was in a class by himself yesterday. His nearest competitors could only clear 6-3.

Coach John Normant knew Thomas was capable of the feat because of what he had seen in practice the past month.

"He had come close a couple of times and I think just the emotion of the meet and being so close in the past finally kind of got that monkey off his back. He finally cleared it and I'm happy for him."

Later in the day Thomas also won the boys' 55-meter hurdles with a time of 7.60, just 10-hundredths of a second off the meet record.

Omar Abdi of Charlestown grabbed a share of the spotlight from Thomas. Abdi shattered Joel Legare's nine-year-old record in the 1,000 meters by more than four seconds. "I'm a miler," the senior said, "so 1,000 [meters] isn't that hard for me."

According to an MSTCA official, Abdi's 2:27.80 was the eight-fastest indoor high school time ever.

Hudson's Luke Doherty-Munro, who finished third in 2:34.27, said "this is a great performance by Omar. I've got to give it up to him. He went straight to the front and never came back."

Abdi also anchored Charlestown's 4 x 400-meter relay team, which won in 3:28.85.

In the boys' mile, Johnny Gregorek took home first place and a personal best with one shoe missing for half the race. Gregorek said around 800 meters into the race his shoe was starting to come off "so I just decided to get rid of it. [Then the bandage] just kind of came off and tore my foot apart." Battling blister problems, Gregorek had an adhesive on his foot for protection.

The Seekonk High junior finished in 4:20.57, more than three seconds ahead of his nearest competition, Byron Jones of Westborough.

"He made a great race," said Eli Mello, Gregorek's coach. "We've been working on his finishes and he's done some great workouts the last two weeks in the 600 [meters] and 400 [meters], trying to be consistent . . . and he showed that today.

"He's a little banged up . . . but he's a real tough kid, super-determined."

In the girls' shot put, Holliston senior Emmaline Berg set a meet record with a throw of 41-9 1/4. Berg, who had broken the Tri-Valley League record the day before with a 42-6 heave, was tired but knew she had a chance to break another mark.

"I definitely had that in my mind to beat this record," she said. "To beat two records in one weekend is kind of overwhelming."