Lester leaves lasting impression with heptathlon meet record, repeat in 400 meters; Farmer sets San Diego Section decathlon record to bring title back to California

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

As good as her first seven events were Friday and Saturday, it was what Sterling Lester did after the heptathlon that secured her legacy as one of the most talented athletes to compete in the 51-year history of the Arcadia Invitational.

The Marietta GA junior, who will reclassify to graduate as a member of the Class of 2018, followed her victory in the 11th annual Arcadia Multis with a meet-record 5,288 points by repeating as 400-meter champion Saturday night at Arcadia High.

“I’m happy I had enough in the tank to come back and do the 400,” Lester said. “I just had patience. I just kept telling myself, ‘I’m going to get it.’”

Lester prevailed over Bishop O’Dowd CA signee Tierra Robinson-Jones by a 53.366 to 53.370 margin, after they also took the top two spots last season. Lester was the only athlete under 54 seconds last year, winning in 53.94, with four individuals achieving the feat Saturday, as Rancho NV senior Gizelle Reid clocked 53.64 to take third and Provo UT junior Meghan Hunter placed fourth in 53.79.

Lester improved on her personal best in the heptathlon by nearly 200 points to elevate to No. 2 in Georgia history behind national record holder Kendell Williams and 15th on the all-time prep list, breaking the 2010 meet record of 5,225 points set by Long Beach Millikan CA graduate Ashley Smith.

Lester accumulated 5,094 points in June to win the 17-18 division at the AAU Club National Championships in Orlando, Fla., but surpassed that mark by concluding her two-day schedule with a 2:12.16 in the 800.

“I was happy I did a 2:12. I was really trying to get a 2:10, but I was pretty satisfied with the 2:12 at the end of the day,” Lester said. “I was only worried about the 800 and what I had to do right then, and then the 400, whatever is next, I’ll worry about that then.”

Lester built a 390-point advantage over San Marcos CA senior Allie Jones after the first day and never looked back, producing a career-best opening-day score of 3,340. Despite her lead being cut in half following the long jump and javelin Saturday, Lester got it all back and more after prevailing over Jones by more than 20 seconds in the 800.

“That’s pretty good for right now,” Lester said. “I’m proud of myself, but I expect more.”

Jones was looking to extend the winning streak for California female athletes to four straight years, but took runner-up with 4,830 points and Acalanes CA senior Arianna Gragg placed third with 4,632.

The six-year drought for California boys ended, as Rancho Bernardo senior Josh Farmer captured the first Arcadia decathlon title for the Golden State since 2012.

“This is a really cool meet. It’s an international meet because we had a Canadian here (Ethan Foster of D.W. Poppy Secondary in British Columbia) this week and it’s really cool to be representing California and bringing this back to California,” Farmer said. “To represent San Diego and my school and my team, it’s really cool.”

Farmer posted a lifetime-best 6,963 points to elevate to No. 3 in state history, eclipsing the San Diego Section record of 6,750 points held since 2014 by Tyler Nelson of Del Norte. Farmer entered the final event needing to run 4:28 or better in the 1,500 to reach the 7,000-point mark, but clocked 4:33.63 to finish second to Ethan Foster (4:31.97).

“Going into the second day, I knew there was a small possibility I could still get to 7,000, so I was giving it everything I had to try to reach that goal,” said Farmer, who had a personal-best first-day score of 3,625 despite slipping out of the blocks in the 100-meter dash to open the competition.

“I got first among juniors and anybody who wasn’t a senior last year, so it was definitely one of my big goals this year to come back and win it all. It was great that I got to do it here at Arcadia because it’s a special meet.”

Farmer, who took third last year with 6,375 points, became the first California male athlete to win since fellow San Diego Section standout Grant Zebold of Cathedral Catholic since 2012. His score is the 12th-highest in meet history, a list which also includes the two best all-time prep performers in Gunnar Nixon of Santa Fe OK and Curtis Beach of Albuquerque Academy NM.

Oaks Christian CA graduate Zack Bornstein still holds the mark for top performance by a California athlete in meet history with 6,967 points in 2013.

Ventura CA junior Derek Pekar accumulated 6,365 points in his decathlon debut to place second, with Cole Whatley of Del Oro CA third at 6,327.