California high school sprinter disqualified after winning state title due to celebration

SALINAS, Calif. -- A 16-year-old sprinter from North Salinas High School was disqualified from the CIF State Championships after winning the 400-meter state final due to her post-race celebration involving a fire extinguisher.

"I worked so hard for that title," Clara Adams said, expressing her disappointment over the decision.

After winning the 400-meter event with a time of 53.24 seconds, Adams celebrated by grabbing a fire extinguisher from her coach and father to extinguish her spikes.

While the crowd and CIF booth initially reacted positively, CIF officials deemed the act unsportsmanlike and disqualified her.

"When she blew the fire extinguisher, the opponents were gone," David Adams, Clara's father, said. "That was our moment of celebration, and CIF officials made it about them. The crowd went crazy, they loved it, the CIF booth went crazy, they loved it. But those few guys in those jackets took offense to it, didn't like it, and made a decision based off emotions."

Maurice Greene, the American sprint icon who made the celebration famous, was pleased with Adams paying homage to him and suggested she should be reinstated.

"When I heard, cause it happened, and then people just started calling me 'This girl who just ran the 400 did your celebration' I was like huh? What?" Greene said. "If it was away from everyone and not interfering with anyone, I would say reinstate her."

Adams' father also faced scrutiny for hopping the railing onto the track after the race, a move he said was prompted by the treatment his daughter received from CIF officials.

Now, despite being the fastest 400-meter runner in the state, Adams returns home without a medal.

Even if reinstated, she missed the moment of being crowned a champion.

Research into 20 years of state championships revealed no other instances of disqualification for unsportsmanlike conduct.

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