Lake Region superstar Kate Hall strutted her stuff once again recently, taking first in two of her three events – the 100 and the Long Jump – and second in the other, the 200, at last weekend’s New Englands, held this year at Thornton Academy in Saco.

That’s five New Englands titles for Hall, who, for anyone who’s missed the past four years of Maine track, also has 26 (not a typo) state-level titles and an indoor national title, in the Long Jump.

“I’m so happy with how the New England meet went.” Hall said. “Not only was it nice to see some incredible athletes compete from all around New England, but it was nice to have some competition.”

Hall took first in the 100 in a time of 11.41, a new record. The previous mark, 11.50, had held strong since 1995. Hall bested Hope, R.I.’s Quashira McIntosh (11.63) for that particular crown – McIntosh, who won the event last year, and who bested Hall for the 200 title.

Interestingly, in the 200, both girls set new New Englands records: McIntosh finished in 23.64, and Hall in 23.69. The old mark, 23.75, had stood since 1996. Both earlier records were set by Shayla Wallace of Northwest Catholic, in Connecticut.

“One of the biggest things I was looking forward to at the New England meet was competing against McIntosh,” Hall said. “Not only is she an awesome competitor, she’s a great person and friend. We both pushed each other to set personal records that day, and I will never forget how fun and exciting that day was because of her.”

Hall turns heads when she runs (she runs so fast, she probably injures necks, in fact), and she likewise evokes double-takes when she jumps. Her winning Long Jump, 20 feet 11 inches, outdistanced the second place finisher and last year’s winner, Ariel Clachar of Coe-Brown, NH, by more than 2 feet. It also smashed, to tiny little smithereens, the standing record of 19 feet 3.5 inches, set by Catherine Lacy of Darien, Conn., in 2013.

Next up for Hall: the New Balance Nationals, coming up this week at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, N.C.

“My goals are to hopefully win the [Long Jump] title and to set personal records. I actually jumped the same distance at the New England meet that I did at Indoor Nationals. My goal is to go for 21 feet this weekend.”

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