Isaiah Harris of Lewiston, who carried his team to the recent Class A state track and field championship, won a bronze medal Sunday in the New Balance Nationals outdoor track and field competition.  

The best high school track and field athletes from all over the country competed at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, N.C.  

Harris, running in 95 degree temperatures and high humidity, won his heat and stunned the crowd with a time of 1:49.63 in the 800 meters. That smashed the state record in the event.

He led from the beginning of the race. After being overtaken in the back straight of the second lap by Avery Bartlett from Florida, he came back and won a sprint to the finish.  

Harris was still in the lead after the third heat, but in the final segment of the event, Myles Marshall from Texas and John Lewis of Michigan beat his time.

The performance also earned All-American status, who recently was named Maine’s Gatorade track and field performer of the year.

Harris will be attending Penn State University in the fall on a track scholarship.

He won four events in the state meet June 6 at Mt. Ararat High School, including the anchor leg of the 4×400 relay that clinched the title for Lewiston.

Also on Sunday, Kate Hall of Casco set a national record in winning the long jump.

Hall won the event on her final attempt, shattering a mark that had stood for nearly four decades. Hall’s jump put her among the top 10 jumps in the world in all age categories.

Check out Russ’ blog from the weekend’s championship trip.