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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Northside High School senior Andrew Harding is already well ahead of what most runners who are going into college are doing. He proved that last weekend in Charlotte.

Harding participated in the Carolina Distance Carnival at Weddington High School in Matthews. He finished fourth with a time of 8:59.31 in the 3200-meter run, according to information from NC.Milesplit.com

What makes that a big deal is the time is faster than has been recorded by runners in the same event at the high school state track and field championships. In fact, the record in the following classifications, according to the NC High School Athletic Association, are:

Class 1A: Blake Nicholson of Christ the King, 9:27.44, 2023

Class 2A: Sean Sewell, Cardinal Gibbons, 9:25.83, 2007

Class 3A: Paul Carpenter, TC Roberson, 9:11.87, 1985

Harding participated in the Coastal Plains Conference meet, held Tuesday at Northside. Next will be the Class 1A East Regionals, then the state championships, slated to be held May 16 at the Marcus T. Johnson Track at NC A&T University in Greensboro.