Cornwall Sprinter Jiles Addison Breaks Records

By Jennifer L. Warren

CORNWALL – Shattering records and running fast are exhilarating to Jiles Addison, but what really fuels him are two other priceless gems: growth and improvement.

The Cornwall Central High School sprinter has been reveling in all of the rewards afforded by his hard work and laser focus this season. Eclipsing the nine year old 55 Meter Dash School Record when he recorded a blazing 6.45 seconds at the Northshore Invitational at New York City’s Armory earlier this season, Addison once again added his imprint to the school history books when he and teammates; Charles Cypress, Christian Sterling and Marcsean Montero joined forces on the 4 x200 Meter Relay on Saturday, at the National High School Championships, eclipsing the elusive- mind boggling 1:29:0 mark for a stunning third place finish on New York City’s Armory Track. The speedy tandem broke the previous school record they had just set the week before on Saturday, March 7, at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and Federation Championships, inside Staten Island’s Ocean Breeze Sports Complex, taking winning laurels with a 1:29.33 split.

Here, at States, Montero was crowned 300 Meter State Champion as well. The State Relay victory was a lofty four year goal, nourished by large doses of hard work, commitment and sacrifice. The National’s finish was even sweeter; both resulted in unbridled joy.

“We make each other better,” said Addison about the potent contingent that share a special bond, on and off the track. “Relays are different than individual races, because you have three other people to pick up the pieces; whereas in individual you are all alone and the pressure is all on you.”

Quick to cite his love for both types of competition, Addison is simply happy being able to pursue his passion on the track. It’s here where he feels most at home and joyous testing his abilities in every means possible, seeing where it will take him.

“I just love competing with other people and pushing to see how far I can go and good I can get,” said Addison about his approach to the sport he has been fine-tuning since his entry into it in seventh grade.

Continually told by others he possessed speed as a youngster, Addison elected to pursue football and basketball rather than pure running. However, disappointments in those prioritized team sports, led Addison to allow track a chance.

“To be honest, I wasn’t that into it when I first started,” recollected Addison about those initial running days. “However, when I started to see improvement and made Indoor States in the 55 Meters my sophomore year, it became really fulfilling seeing all the hard work paying off; that pushed me to want to get even better.”

And raise the bar Addison did. Continuing to excel on the track, he improved his form, quickened his splits, and gained priceless confidence his junior season. After missing indoor track due to the heightening limitations imposed by the Pandemic, Addison was hungrier than ever to excel on the outdoor circuit. However, shock and disappointment surfaced when halfway through the season, he was dealt his first ever injury, one to the hamstring. The setback was to become his first real test, proving just how much he adored the sport and was unwilling to cower to its sometimes unexpected, harsh realities.

“I had to really persevere at this time, and I remember really having some doubts, thinking maybe I couldn’t come back,” recalled Addison about the challenging phase of his scholastic sport’s career. “With the help of coaches, an athletic trainer and other people, I was able to regain my strength, actually making it back for the Championship part of the season and helping the 4 x 100 Meter Relay to break the school record.”

Also reflecting upon yet another challenge: the inconsistent cancellation of meets last year due to the Pandemic, Addison is grateful to finally see- and feel- some normalcy restored to both his training and racing as well as everyday school life. All together, this vital consistency in his life has resulted in a higher than ever level of confidence and security.
“It’s so nice to just be in school regularly,” said Addison. “I feel like I’m just running happier than I have in a while.”

Carrying a 3.4 grade point average and a desire to major in media communications, Addison has attracted the attention of several colleges. Waiting it out and seeing which college fits his needs the best, Addison is now focused on finishing out his scholastic running career on the very highest note possible, enjoying all the rewards, both tangible and intangible, that the sport he has come to fall in love with offer.

“It just feels so good to see the improvement each time I run; it keeps me wanting to work harder and harder,” said Addison, whose ultimate goal is to qualify for the Olympics. “I also want to be able to inspire young children to keep reaching for their goals, despite any obstacles, and make them see anything is possible with hard work and having a belief in yourself and your abilities.”