3 weeks ago
8
ByJake Flores 
Wednesday, June 4, 2025 2:23PM
A 16-year-old sprinter from Salinas had her CIF State Championship stripped owed to her post-race solemnisation involving a occurrence extinguisher.
SALINAS, Calif. -- A 16-year-old sprinter from North Salinas High School was disqualified from the CIF State Championships aft winning the 400-meter authorities last owed to her post-race solemnisation involving a occurrence extinguisher.
"I worked truthful hard for that title," Clara Adams said, expressing her disappointment implicit the decision.
After winning the 400-meter lawsuit with a clip of 53.24 seconds, Adams celebrated by grabbing a occurrence extinguisher from her manager and begetter to extinguish her spikes.
While the assemblage and CIF booth initially reacted positively, CIF officials deemed the enactment unsportsmanlike and disqualified her.
"When she blew the occurrence extinguisher, the opponents were gone," David Adams, Clara's father, said. "That was our infinitesimal of celebration, and CIF officials made it astir them. The assemblage went crazy, they loved it, the CIF booth went crazy, they loved it. But those fewer guys successful those jackets took discourtesy to it, didn't similar it, and made a determination based disconnected emotions."
Maurice Greene, the American sprint icon who made the solemnisation famous, was pleased with Adams paying homage to him and suggested she should beryllium reinstated.
"When I heard, origin it happened, and past radical conscionable started calling maine 'This miss who conscionable ran the 400 did your celebration' I was similar huh? What?" Greene said. "If it was distant from everyone and not interfering with anyone, I would accidental reinstate her."
Adams' begetter besides faced scrutiny for hopping the railing onto the way aft the race, a determination helium said was prompted by the attraction his girl received from CIF officials.
Now, contempt being the fastest 400-meter runner successful the state, Adams returns location without a medal.
Even if reinstated, she missed the infinitesimal of being crowned a champion.
Research into 20 years of authorities championships revealed nary different instances of disqualification for unsportsmanlike conduct.
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