Lightning, Controversy Strike High School Track Meet

For the first time in the 43-year history of the Meet of Champions - a high school track-and-field meet hosted by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association and the Newark Star-Ledger - a race was halted because of lightning. Joe Rosa of West Windsor-Plainsboro North High School was ahead of his own state-record pace of 8:44.06 in the boys' 3,200 meters Thursday when lightning struck - quickly followed by controversy.

According to NJ.com: "Rosa, who was at 7:38 on the clock with a lap to go, was building up a run at history when lightning lit up the skies and thunder rang out as heavy rains also started to hit. That prompted meet officials to run onto the track and stop Rosa and the rest of the field from continuing. Rosa and his twin brother Jim, who was right behind, wanted to keep on running. Joe threw his hands up in the air in disbelief when he was met by a wall of officials who prevented him from continuing. A chorus of boos came cascading down from the angry fans." (For video footage of the incident, click here.)

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