COLUMBUS — Talk about turning on the Jet(s).
Coming into Sunday’s Division I boys 4×200 relay state track & field final at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, the Olentangy Braves were projected to take home a bronze medal in the event — not a gold.
But when a guy named Jet Cornelius is the anchor man, and his three teammates go on to later earn top-three finishes in other events, something tells you third isn’t where this 4×200 team belongs — atop a podium is.
Amazingly, 75% of this title team returns next year — a scary thought for anyone lining up against them.
Cornelius, a junior, alongside senior Joaquin Love, junior Jacob Linley and junior Brody Maslouski proved the doubters wrong with their 1:25.49 title run.
Together, they narrowly fended off Beavercreek’s 1:25.61 run and Wayne’s 1:25.93 sprint, with Cornelius’s leg being a nail-biter the whole way down the final stretch.
“I know they’re my teammates and I always trust them, and I know they’re always going to have my back,” Cornelius said about his close leg of the race.
“Finishing off in the state championship with this big crowd, it was amazing. I knew we could do it as a team, so I feel great.”
Love, a Tiffin University commit, set up Cornelius’ title dash and knew how important it was to give him the room he needed, as he is also an anchor man. Love closed out a 3:17.03 runner-up finish for the boys 4×400 team later in the day.
“I just wanted to set my teammate up, the anchor, for a good race,” Love said. “I didn’t want to leave him behind — I wanted to make him have a good last leg.”
As for what’s next, Cornelius said the team is going to try to stay healthy and calm as the group prepares for the New Balance Nationals tournament later this month.
Photos credited to Jack Slemenda / Delaware Source.
