Benny Diaz breaks 14 seconds, becomes 7th-fastest 110 hurdler in state history

Benny Diaz posing with his time after winning the 110 hurdles in Illinois on Saturday

Fourteen seconds is something Benny Diaz has had on his mind for a long time.

The Saugatuck senior and reigning MHSAA state champion at the 110 hurdles has wanted to get under that time ever since he started hurdling last year, but he’s never been able to. That all changed Saturday.

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While competing at a meet in Illinois he crushed his previous times, crossing the tape in a +3.4 wind-aided 13.77, the seventh-fastest in Michigan history and 13th fastest currently in the nation. He wasn’t representing Saugatuck, though. Due to MHSAA rules, he was competing out of state as an unattached runner affiliated with his club track team. Runners are allowed up to two out-of-state unattached meets per year with this rule.

When he did cross the finish line, he wasn’t totally shocked by the result. He had been training to see that 13 pop up on the screen for a while. it’s still surreal when he realizes he did it so early on in his senior year.

“It feels great to break 14. I had the goal to get to 13.7 by the end of the high school season and I’m fortunate to have done that already,” Diaz said. “So I’ll hopefully improve much more for the state meet and the AAU season.”

Mario Diaz, Benny’s father and sprint coach, was thrilled with the time his son put up. Though ever the coach, he didn’t take much time to celebrate. Benny, a Michigan commit, is capable of more and Mario realized that even as he shattered his old times.

With a few more months in front of him before moving on to the Big Ten, there’s only one thing they’re focused on. Getting that time lower.

“He didn’t run the perfect race but was still able to get a time like that,” Mario Diaz said. “It says a lot about what he could do in the future.”

—Contact Assistant Sports Editor Will Kennedy at Will.Kennedy@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @ByWillKennedy and Facebook @Holland Sentinel Sports.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Sagatuck’s Benny Diaz breaks 14 seconds, becomes 7th-fastest 110 hurdler in state history