After setting national records in football, Kazmeir Allen is a state track champion

Kazmeir Allen excelled on the football field for Tulare Union High this past season. The UCLA-bound running back can now call himself a state champion in track and field.

The senior won the 100-meter dash at the 100th CIF State Track & Field Championships at Buchanan High’s Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

He becomes the first Central Section sprinter to win the 100 since Marques Holiwell of West-Bakersfield in 1995, according to Central Section track and field historian Ron Blackwood. Holiwell's 10.43 from 23 years ago remains the section record after Allen clocked 10.44.

It's about the only superlative Allen has failed to corral this year.

“I’ve been telling my family members that I’m going to win it for them,” Allen said. “That’s been my mindset the whole week.”

Allen is the sixth Tribe to win a state crown, joining George Shahtanian (long jump, 1930), Bob Mathias (120 HH, 1948, 180 LH, 1948), Peter Quinonez (800, 1980) and James Stallworth (long jump, 1989), Blackwood said.

This fall he set a national single-season touchdown record and accepted a football scholarship to coach Chip Kelly’s UCLA Bruins.

After finishing sixth last year in the state meet in 10.48, Allen took this year’s meet seriously, training with Quincy Hall who is a former College of the Sequoias state champion in the hurdles.

He said he had people reminding him he probably wouldn’t win because of the added weight he gained for football last year. Allen said he was happy to risk ultimate track success for football.

“I’m a football guy,” he said. “I like all the football records. This is a great accomplishment, too, but I like football.”

This story was originally published June 2, 2018 at 9:31 PM with the headline "After setting national records in football, Kazmeir Allen is a state track champion."