Saranac Laker sets sectional indoor triple jump record
SARANAC LAKE — While Saranac Lake junior Liam Nobles has already proved to be one of the best indoor track and field jumpers in the school’s history, he’s starting to become one of the best in Section VII history.
On Saturday, Nobles shattered the Section VII indoor track record in the triple jump with a 44 feet, 8.75 inches leap at Sectional VII Indoor Championship meet at the Plattsburgh State Fieldhouse. Nobles bested the previous mark of 44-6.5 set by Peru’s Shawn Hendrix in 2012.
“I didn’t think I’d be able to get that this year,” Nobles said. “But I had a big (personal record) in our last regular season meet and then I learned what the Section record was after that and I was like I could get this and the next meet I got it.”
When Nobles leaped he had no idea that he had broken the sectional record.
“But when I walked to where they were measuring and my coach said, ‘Hey you got it.’ It was such a great feeling,” he said.
Along with the triple jump record, Nobles is close to reaching the Section VII indoor long jump record of 22-1 set in 2009. During an indoor track invitational in Utica on Jan. 13, Nobles leaped 21-11 in the long-jump — which is a Saranac Lake school record.
“I haven’t been doing as well in the long jump, but I think with the right amount of rest and training that I could get it,” Nobles said. “Possibly in the next meet or the state meet.”
What makes Nobles triple jump record all the more impressive is the fact that Saranac Lake doesn’t have an indoor track and field facility close by — with the closest being at the SUNY Plattsburgh Field House.
“It’s harder for us because we can’t go up to Plattsburgh and practice in the sand pits like some of the other teams can,” Nobles said. “But we do a lot of plyometric-type training and weight room. My coach has a lot of great plans that he has put me on for that type of training.”
Despite having jumped on a sand pit just seven times this indoor track season — all of which have been during competitions — Saranac Lake indoor track and field coach Cy Ellsworth said Nobles has bought into a detailed strength and plyometric plan.
“The area that Liam has improved in the most from last year has been his strength level,” Ellsworth said. “He has been to every workout opportunity since November.”
Ellsworth said Nobles is one of the most outstanding athletes that he has seen in his time in athletics at Saranac Lake.
“Liam has a gift that nobody else has in our high school and I am incredibly excited for his future,” he said.
Nobles and the Saranac Lake indoor track team will compete in the state qualifiers on Saturday in Plattsburgh.