In high school track & field, Marist’s Tommy Latham is one of the biggest names in Georgia
Tommy Latham was apparently disqualified and will not be able to compete in this weekend’s state championships.
One of the premiere runners in the state, Marist senior Tommy Latham, will not be participating in the GHSA Track & Field State Championships beginning this Friday and this comes after the senior UNC-commit performed an obscene gesture while running in the track and field regionals in the anchor leg of the 800-meter relay. Latham’s gesture disqualified him from the competition and all of Marist’s wins on the day were forfeited.
Who is Tommy Latham as Marist high school runner is disqualified from GHSA Track & Field State Championships for offensive gesture
Latham also participated in the boy’s 1,600-meter race that same day, winning by almost eight seconds with a time of 4:21.50. Due to his unsportsmanlike behaviour, his victory was also nullified.
3️⃣:5️⃣9️⃣.7️⃣9️⃣
Tommy Latham of Marist, Georgia becomes the first high school runner in state history to break the four minute barrier for one mile.
His performance will move him to US #21 All-Time.
Wow. pic.twitter.com/h7SEGbXglD
— MileSplit US (@milesplit) March 29, 2025
Latham won the boy’s 800m on Wednesday for the third time, finishing three seconds ahead of second in 1:51.47; nevertheless, his performance was deemed a “DQ” without a formal explanation. The competitor was once more disqualified for “unsportsmanlike conduct” in the 3,200m, this time before the race even started.
Marist High School’s runner Tommy Latham, who has committed to compete in track and field at North Carolina Central University, broke the four-minute mile record as the first high school student from Georgia. At the end of March, he ran a time of 3:59:79, which was the 21st fastest in US history.
His height stands at 5 feet 10 inches while he weighs 145 pounds.
Personal Records High School ; 1500 Meter Run, 3:45.07 ; 1600 Meter Run, 4:30.69 ; One Mile Run, 4:00.94 ; 3000 Meter Run, 8:08.78 ; 2 Mile Run, 8:44.35
His dad Steve Latham played soccer in college and mom Stephanie Latham played softball and basketball at Carmel High School while his sister is going into her sophomore year in HS and does track, cross country, swimming and softball. He also has two chocolate labs named Millie and Max.
Tommy Latham is a Nike Indoor Nationals champion! 🏆 8:44.35 in the two-mile—now No. 10 all-time in U.S. high school history! https://t.co/xtECBWzIKK
— Coach Clark Rivers (@ClarkInTheDec) March 14, 2025
The 1,600-meter event at the GHSA Track & Field State Championships, which start this Friday, was predicted to be won by Tommy Latham. During his stellar career at the Marist School in Atlanta, he had already won three state titles in the 3,200, two in the 1,600, and three in cross-country. He may have added another 1,600 title this weekend in addition to his first 800 title.
That won’t be an option anymore as he won’t be permitted to run. Tommy Latham has been pre-emptively disqualified from the forthcoming state championship, according to Score Atlanta’s Max Wolborsky. This follows an offensive gesture he made during last month’s state tournament regional round.
Latham supposedly showed the middle finger to a rival during the 800-meter relay’s anchor leg. As he passed by, he allegedly gave the runner an explicit middle finger message while he was lapping him.
Over the coming days, Marist and Latham might attempt to appeal the decision, but it appears that his destiny is set. The state’s greatest miler will not be permitted to defend his title. Just like that, his time in high school is finished.
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