Track & Field | Brooks a fast act at LW Invitational

KIRKLAND — Devin Brooks walks achingly slow. But she runs amazingly fast.

Brooks took her time strolling to the middle of Mac Field Saturday to accept her award for winning the 100-meter hurdles at the Lake Washington Invitational.

"I hate to walk," the Holy Names senior explained.

Brooks, the three-time defending Class 3A state champion in the 100 hurdles, doesn't care for waiting, either. But she had to do that, too, before the announcement finally came that she had broken the meet record with her state-leading time of 14.10 seconds in the preliminaries. In a way, it was fitting.

"I've only been waiting three years to do it," said Brooks, who has swept the event four straight years.

The previous record was 14.34 set by Seville Broussard of Walla Walla in 1994 and tied in 1998 by Sarah Lavallee of Mount Si.

Brooks easily won the final, but said she was tired after running in the 400-relay preliminaries shortly before and wasn't thrilled with her 14.41.

Junior Tiffany Tibbot, on the other hand, was all smiles after she turned in four standout performances for the second year in a row. She got a piece of a record, too, anchoring Skyline's 400 relay that clocked a state-best 48.26 in the preliminaries. Shea O'Donnell, Kaylan Barry and Lauren Matthews are the other relay members. The previous record was a hand-held 48.6 by Garfield in 1989 (Skyline's time converts to 48.2 hand-held).

"That's pretty cool," Tibbot said of the record. "We really wanted that."

They wanted a second straight team title, too, but had to settle for second behind Gig Harbor, 67 to 62. Bellarmine Prep of Tacoma was third with 52.

Tibbot did everything she could. She also was part of the winning 800 relay (a state-leading 1 minute, 43.09 seconds) and defended her titles in the 100 (12.21) and 200 (24.78), improving her state best in the latter.

Her win in the 100 came over Rainier Beach sophomore Charnay Combs, the 3A state runner-up last year. Combs did not run the 200, which she won at state last year.

Tibbot, who placed fourth in the 100 at the 4A state meet last year, was eager for the test.

"I always look forward to Lake Washington," Tibbot said. "It's great competition."

Kentridge's Lindsey Fleishman loves this meet, too. Last year, she won the triple jump at 37 feet, 1-¼ inches — her personal best at the time by nearly three feet. She had not gone farther until Saturday, launching 38-0 ½, the No. 2 mark in the state.

"This is by far my favorite meet," Fleishman said.

Notes

• Katrina Drennen of Sumner didn't get the meet record (4:28.6) in the 1,500 — a special event at this meet — but won with surprising ease in a talented field and clocked a 4:34.86.

"I just wanted to go out there and run my race and focus on being my best self," she said.

• Rainier Beach junior Dyneeca Adams remained unbeaten in the 400, the event she won at state last year, winning in 56.96, then promptly said, "I can run faster." She has a 56.4 hand-held time this year, but said her goal is to run 55 before the season is over.

• The 3,200 relay is another unusual event in this meet, and Gig Harbor won in a meet-record 9:28.76.

• Kristle Moss from Riverside Christian of Yakima cleared a personal-best 5-7 to win the high jump. Kentwood's Lindsey Moore equaled her PR of 5-6 to take second.

• Shadle Park ran a sizzling 3:56.75 to win the 1,600 relay.

Sandy Ringer: 206-718-1512 or sringer@seattletimes.com