Abby Casper’s goal was to break 13 seconds. She did much more. She made history.
Houston’s freshman speedster blazed her way into the record books in her first-ever conference meet. Casper ran the 100 meters in 12.43 seconds last Monday at Salem High School to establish a new South Central Association record.
Casper said she was aware of the SCA record of 12.51 seconds established in 1992. She figured it was well out of her reach since she hadn’t finished under 13 seconds in her high school career.
Casper’s previous best time this season was 13.36 seconds on the same track earlier in the season.
“I just wanted to break 13 seconds,” Casper said. “I didn’t know I’d break it by that much.”
When they announced her time over the sound system, Casper ran across the infield of the track and embraced coach Skye Carrasquillo. She had shaved nearly a full second off her previous best time to shatter 13 seconds and break the conference’s 22-year-old record.
“As soon as we heard it, you could see the joy on her face,” Carrasquillo said. “It gave me goose bumps.”
Casper also finished second in the 200 meters at the meet. Fellow freshman Tori McCloud was third in the 100 hurdles, Jonas Rowland finished fourth in the 400 and Trenton Best was fifth in the 300 hurdles.
Casper said she felt like she had ran a fast 100. She attributed her record-setting time simply to the importance of the conference meet.
“There was more riding on the meet, and I knew there was good competition,” she said.
Casper, who set the Houston eighth-grade girls’ records in the 100 and 400 last year, said she has focused on tightening her form her first year in high school. She also is racing from starting blocks for the first time.
The conference record already hers after one year, Casper said her current goal is to be a four-year state qualifier in track.
“I know that if I keep improving, what I can do could be really big,” she said.
I just wanted to break 13 seconds. I didn’t know I’d break it by that much.”