A couple tenths of a second isn’t even enough time to form a thought for most people, but in the highly competitive world of elite track and field athletes it’s the difference between a great race and a bad one.

That’s a fact DeMichael Harris was reminded of on Sunday.

Harris, a recent St. Aloysius graduate, posted the fastest time in the preliminaries of the boys’ 200-meter dash at the prestigious New Balance Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro, N.C. He slipped a bit in the finals, however, and went home disappointed despite finishing fourth out of 44 runners — representing 21 states — competing in the event.

Harris’ time of 20.95 seconds in the final was .24 seconds behind winner Champion Allison of Rosenberg, Texas.

Khance Meyers of Kentwood, Mich., was second in 20.78 seconds, and Maryland’s Darnell Pratt was third in 20.94.

“I had a pretty good 150, and then the last 50 it kind of collapsed on me,” Harris said. “I felt fine. I just probably didn’t have enough left in the tank.”

Harris had a time of 20.88 seconds in the preliminary round. He and Allison, who ran 20.89, were the only two runners to qualify for the final in under 21 seconds.

“The first one was pretty good. The second one wasn’t a let down, but I knew I could’ve done better,” Harris said.

Harris’ personal best time is the 20.87 he posted at the MAIS Class AAA meet in May. That was the first time a Mississippi high school athlete had ever run the 200 meters in under 21 seconds at either the MAIS or MHSAA state meet, and could lead to another remarkable feat later this week.

Harris won the 2015 Gatorade Mississippi Boys Track and Field Player of the Year award, and is a leading candidate to win again this year based on his record-setting season.

The winner will be announced Thursday, and if it’s Harris he’ll be the first person to repeat since Pearl’s George Kersh in 1986 and ’87.

“I feel great with my times,” said Harris, who will head to Hinds Community College in August to play football and run track. “The next goal is to get under 20.5. But I’m pleased with my track season.”