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A historic morning for La Cueva's Tanner Montano, who tied state's oldest track and field record
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David Powdrell of Highland stands alone no more. But he didn鈥檛 surrender his title as the state鈥檚 long jump record holder, either.
The oldest and most venerable high school record on New Mexico鈥檚 prep track and field books was equaled (twice, incredibly enough) on Friday morning by junior Tanner Monta帽o of La Cueva at the University of New Mexico complex as the Class 5A state meet got underway.
Powdrell鈥檚 existing mark, set in 1970, was 24 feet, 3录 inches.
Fantastically, and certainly improbably, Monta帽o hit that exact distance twice Friday.
Monta帽o soared 24-3录 on his first attempt of prelims. But the wind gauge reading 鈥� +2.2 meters per second; anything over +2.0 is considered wind-aided 鈥� negated this mark as a tying record.
On his second attempt, with a legal wind, Monta帽o went 24-0戮, and that extended his existing Class 5A record (23-7 3/4), which he set in 2024. But there was still the matter of the overall record, Powdrell鈥檚 record.
A short time later, on his first jump of the finals, Monta帽o went 24-3录 for a second time, and the wind this time (+1.1) was under the threshold and cleared the path for him to officially join Powdrell as a joint record holder in this event.
鈥淚鈥檓 very proud. I obviously wanted to break it and I kind of wanted to go for 25 (feet),鈥� Monta帽o said. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 sure what I was capable of today, but to go down in the record books with tying the (oldest) record, I鈥檓 fine with it.鈥�
Monta帽o鈥檚 quest to break the record attracted an unusually large crowd 鈥� for a field event at 8 a.m. on a Friday 鈥� to the east side of UNM facility.
In the crowd was Powdrell.
And if Monta帽o hitting 24-3录 twice wasn鈥檛 so statistically improbable 鈥� Powdrell鈥檚 presence added to the surreal nature of that 鈥� there was also this nugget:
Both Powdrell and Monta帽o jumped 24-3录 on May 16. And both hit that number in their junior seasons.
So after 55 years, the book will recognize two record holders in the boys long jump.
Powdrell and Monta帽o visited briefly after the event was completed. It was good that Monta帽o hit the 24-3录 on his first attempt in the finals, because he scratched on his next two tries.
鈥淚 told him, don鈥檛 let this record get in your head,鈥� Powdrell said.
鈥淗e congratulated me, and said to not reach for the state record, but reach for 25 (feet),鈥� Monta帽o said. 鈥淚t was a cool moment.鈥�
Monta帽o has been wanting to break the record in this event for a few years. And he鈥檒l have his senior state meet to climb higher into the dirt pit.
鈥淭he state record was the goal, but I thought I could have went 25,鈥� he said, adding, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge honor. I just hope I can break it next year.鈥�
Powdrell remarked that there were other athletes besides him who regularly cleared 24 feet when he jumped for Highland.
鈥淣ow,鈥� he said, 鈥渁 New Mexico athlete is getting in that arena again.鈥�
