Christina Warren capped off her tremendous high school career on Saturday with a national title.
The Perkiomen Valley senior pulled out a personal best in the triple jump of 42-4 (+2.8) to win the Championship section of the event, her first national crown of her career. That leap on her second attempt was enough to hold off Maryland's Taylor Wright by an inch and a quarter for the victory.
Warren, who won her third straight Class AAA state title in the triple jump last month at Shippensburg, improved on her previous PR by nearly a full foot to take the win.
It came on a busy day for Warren, who went 13.67 to qualify to the 100 meter hurdle final. In the final, Warren placed eighth in 13.90. The Arizona State recruit will head to the next level with a ton of momentum after Saturday's efforts.
Diggs Impresses With 100m Silver
Saucon Valley's Talitha Diggs may not primarily be a 100 meter runner, but that didn't stop the sprinter from showing her range on Saturday. Diggs took second in the finals of the Championship girls' 100 meters, running 11.52, the fourth fastest time in Pennsylvania state history.
Diggs went 11.65 in the prelims, a PA No. 1 performance for the season at the time. Then she unleashed the huge PR of 11.52 in the finals to take second to Florida's Jacious Sears, who went 11.41 for the win.
Diggs is also entered in the Championship 200 meters set for Sunday.
Smith Moves Up To 2nd in Heptathlon
Brianna Smith was motivated coming into this season. After a ninth place finish in the girls' heptathlon last year, the Cheltenham junior came into New Balance Nationals looking for a better ending to the season this time around.
She did just that, racking up a big PR of 4,811 points, the second best point total in state history, per the MileSplit database.
Smith especially shined in some of her primary events with a third place finish in the 100 meter hurdles (14.42), a first place in the high jump (5-6) and second in the 200 meters (25.21). She continues to show some terrific progression in practically every event, and will look to move up to the top spot next year.
Hamilton Take 2nd in Triple Jump
Lance Hamilton picked a good time -- his final high school meet -- to put down a big personal best. Hamilton, a State College Area senior, jumped 51-00.25 in the Championship section of the boys' triple jump to take second in the nation.
The 50-foot barrier had been on his mind after winning his first PIAA state title last month. But he bypassed 50 and went right to 51 with his big performance on Saturday. After a pair of fouls, Hamilton put down his best on his third attempt, holding the lead heading into the finals. But Connecticut's Justin Forde popped a 51-6.5 in the finals to pass Hamilton and take the win.