A high school relay team breaks a 44-year-old record, revealing the value of incremental gains

A high school relay team has broken a record that held for 44 years. Civic Memorial’s boys 4x200 relay team — Parker Walters, Ty Books, Reed Wallace, and Grady Farrell — ran the event in 1:33.22 at the O'Fallon Relays, surpassing a mark set in 1979. The previous record had stood longer than any of the runners had been alive. Their performance earned them recognition as Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Male Athletes of the Month. Coach Jacob Peal noted the group’s time was not a ceiling. He believes they can run faster, possibly under the state qualifying standard by May. The team also has the depth, he said, to threaten school records in all four relay events this season — if everything aligns.