LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Not only was Pikeville Panther sophomore Lucas Gayheart’s triple jump of 41 feet, 6.5 inches enough to take the gold at this year’s Class 1A Boys’ Indoor Track and Field State Championships, it was also a personal record. To tack on a little extra, he also finished seventh in the boys’ long jump.

Take a moment and actually visualize that distance. That’s four basketball goals stacked end-on-end and another foot and a half. And as impressive, the world record stands at 60 feet even. It’s truly fair to say that Gayheart’s beginning to close in, considering he’s in only his second year of high school.

Gayheart was joined by fellow-Panthers finishers during the championship rounds. Other notables included:

Girls’ 3200 meter run
Junior Cadence Compton – fifth-place.

Girls’ 1600 meter run
Junior Cadence Compton – eighth-place.

Boys’ 55 meter hurdles
Sophomore Will Compton – eighth-place.

Girls’ 800 meter run
Freshman Charlize Compton – eighth-place.

Girls’ 4×400 meter relay
Freshman Molly Justice
Eighth-grader Grader Lexi Wells
Junior Cadence Compton
Freshman Charlize Compton
All four girls finished with eighth-place.