LOCAL NOTES: Waters gets win for Tech

Texas Tech middle distance runner Caitlin Waters had no inkling that April 14 would be a special day.

The blustery conditions led to some tough conditions at Tech's Fuller Track & Field Complex at Lubbock for distance runners. Waters won the 800 meters with a time of 2:14.57, more than two seconds faster than the second-place finisher from Baylor University.

This was Waters' first win in a NCAA Division I track event.

Waters is no stranger to winning ways.

A 2009 Clovis High graduate, she won the Class 5A state 800 meters twice and was a member of the state champion 1,600 medley relay team. She has three state championship team rings.

In 2009, Waters signed with Baylor to run cross country and track. After coming off a foot injury, she transferred to Tech the following year.

She has had a stellar year.

She posted a personal best in the 800 with a time of 2:11.87 at LSU's "Invitational Battle on the Bayou" earlier this spring, where she finished 14th, and was a member of the second-place distance medley relay team at the Texas Relays.

Her parents are Dr. Mark Waters and Desiree Waters. Desiree Waters ran track at Ohio State.

— submitted by Calvin DeWitt

Clovis High senior Zach Williams claimed two first-place finishes recently in the National Athlete Strength Association powerlifting championships March 31-April 1 at Oklahoma City.

Competing in the 148-pound weight class, Williams took first place in powersportgs, combining bench press, deadlift and bicep, and power press, combining bench press and power clean.

Williams said he lifted 231 pounds in bench press, 132 in bicep curl, 215 in power clean and 440 in deadlift.

He said he's been power lifting since seventh grade. "I plan on doiong this for as long as I can," he said.

He has won previous competitions in 2009 at Gallup and in March 2010 at Oklahoma City.

After graduation, Williams said he will go into the Marines in July.

— CNJ staff