Harley Daniel of Oregon City breezes to victory in 100 hurdles at Jesuit Twilight Relays, takes aim at state record(s)

By René Ferrán

The first champion crowned Friday at the 20th annual Jesuit Twilight Relays was Oregon City senior Harley Daniel, who just missed breaking the meet record in winning the girls 100-meter hurdles in 14.41 seconds.

“Not a PR, but it was a good race, so I’m happy with that,” the University of Utah signee said after breezing to a half-second victory.

Daniel played a significant role in the Pioneers winning the team title, finishing second in the long jump and running legs on the victorious 4x100 and third-place 4x400 relays.

Daniel, who ranks fifth on the all-time state list with a 14.23 (she has run 14.19 wind-aided), has her sights set on becoming the second hurdler in state history to break 14 seconds — although Bianca Mathabane’s state-record 13.57 run for Lincoln in 2006 might be a bit of a stretch.

She also has Janelle Joy’s state record in the 300 hurdles (an event not contested at the Twilight Relays) in jeopardy. Daniel ran 42.83 at Oregon’s City’s Willamette Falls Invitational last week to vault to No. 2 on the all-time list, just a quarter-second off Joy’s 42.58 run in 2001 for Milwaukie.

“The last 100, just pushing as hard as I can, and trying to maintain the speed I brought at the beginning,” Daniel said of what she’s working on to break the record.

Daniel signed with Utah shortly after leading the Oregon City soccer program to the OSAA 6A state quarterfinals, where they lost 1-0 to eventual champion Grant. She said having her future decided has helped her relax as she looks to repeat as state champion in both hurdles and takes aim at one, if not both, state records.

“It’s nice because it took a lot of the stress away,” she said. “I can just focus on hurdling and having fun with my friends.”