Locke sprints into history

Photo by SCOTT PURKS

Chamberlain's Dentarius Locke, center, sprints to a new state record in the 100-meter dash of 10.32 seconds.

By BILL WARD | TBO.com

Published: May 9, 2009

Updated:

WINTER PARK - It's one thing to come to the state track and field championships and win the events you're favored to win. But it's an entirely different matter to do what Chamberlain senior Dentarius Locke accomplished in Saturday's Class 4A state finals: grab two gold medals and take down the records in each event.

Locke made history at an already storied Showalter Field when he defended his state crown in the 100-meter dash, won his first 200 title and, in the process, smashed the state record in both races.

Locke's winning time in the 100 final of 10.32 seconds broke the 2-year-old mark of Jeff Demps, who is the co-holder of the world junior record in the event. Locke's time in the qualifying round of the 200 (20.58) eclipsed the 5-year-old record of Walter Dix, a double bronze medalist at last year's Beijing Games.

With those performances, Locke has joined some elite company as a high school athlete. Now, he's on the verge of one day joining them at the international level.