Low hurdles as an automatically timed mark around a bend. The high school record in the 180 yard low hurdles dates to 1964 when three boys, Earl McCullouch from Long Beach Polytechnic High School, Don Castronovo from Oceanside High School in Oceanside, New York and Steve Caminiti from Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California separately ran the 180 yard low hurdles at 18.1. The record was never broken and the event was discontinued in regular high school competition ten years later in 1974. Note: The Low Hurdles (on the turn) were contested, at the girls high school level, in the state
Low hurdles were frequently run on a straightaway, necessitating tracks to be constructed with long "chutes" to accommodate the hurdles, the 200 metres straight and the single turn 400 metres or 440 yards. These tracks have been referred to as "panhandle tracks." In large stadiums, where seating for football games was a primary consideration, these races started deep in a tunnel. With lower hurdles, the race was much faster and less technical than the 110 metres hurdles, a race going over high hurdles, a foot (30 cm) higher. Sprinters were able to change over to the low hurdles with success. Jesse Owens