Yes, THIS one's gonna be fun, fun, FUN!!
Why?
Because the Men's selection was so EASY!!
And because the Women's choice was so very TOUGH!!
Since I'm covering both sexes here, let's get started!
And because the Women's choice was so very TOUGH!!
Since I'm covering both sexes here, let's get started!
Some guidelines--
This is for the OUTdoor season ONLY~
NO 1600 or 3200 marks, or times converted from them, were considered!!
Throwing events for the Men are for US High School weighted impliments ONLY!
The HS season ended August 31st, unless an athlete went Pro before that, or began College classes prior to that date!
MONDO
His birth name is Armand Duplantis.
This is for the OUTdoor season ONLY~
NO 1600 or 3200 marks, or times converted from them, were considered!!
Throwing events for the Men are for US High School weighted impliments ONLY!
The HS season ended August 31st, unless an athlete went Pro before that, or began College classes prior to that date!
MONDO
His birth name is Armand Duplantis.
But when an athlete attains the heights (literally!!) this athlete has, one name is sufficient!
And when he not only can be called the greatest HS Pole Vaulter---or maybe even field eventer--of all-time--his winning the Athlete of the Year, the Performance of the Year, AND the Personality of the Year--by a unanimous vote (by this committee of one!) should not be surprising!
His 19-10.25 not only WON the most prestigious meet of the year (for the WORLD!!), and not only broke his own Age 18 and Swedish National records, but it left him second only to the inimitable Sergey Bubka---the ONLY Man in all of T&F History to jump higher OUTdoors!!
So forget his status as a mere High Schooler!
Think of him as a truly ELITE WORLD CLASS athlete--PERIOD!!
His 19-10.25 not only WON the most prestigious meet of the year (for the WORLD!!), and not only broke his own Age 18 and Swedish National records, but it left him second only to the inimitable Sergey Bubka---the ONLY Man in all of T&F History to jump higher OUTdoors!!
So forget his status as a mere High Schooler!
Think of him as a truly ELITE WORLD CLASS athlete--PERIOD!!
He met the best Vaulters of the past several years--Sam Kendricks, Piotr Lisek, Pawel Wojcieckowski, Thiago Braz, Shawn Barber, and the super veteran Renaud Lavillenie!!
Yes, he lost a few!
But he also WON a few!!
Including, as noted, the most important meet of 2018--the European Championships!!
Thus, MONDO DUPLANTIS wins this Blog's Athlete of the Year, its Performance of the Year, and its Personality of the Year---NO contest!!!
But in the AOY Dept, we have some Honorable Mentions--
Anthony Schwartz, Brodey Hasty, Josh Hoey, Tyson Jones, Tzuriel Pedigo, and from his same event, KC Lightfoot and Sondre Guttormsen---who in any year without Mondo, might have won the AOY!!
In the Performance of the Year section, HM's go to---
James Mwaura's 14:00.42 5000, Hasty's 8:00.92 over 3000 meters, Guttormsen's spectacular rise to 18-10.25, Nate Patterson's 7-4 HJ, Pedigo's several JT PR's. Trey Knight's 233-10- HT. Schwartz's 10.09 in the 100, and Hoey's 800 time of 1:48.07!
James Mwaura's 14:00.42 5000, Hasty's 8:00.92 over 3000 meters, Guttormsen's spectacular rise to 18-10.25, Nate Patterson's 7-4 HJ, Pedigo's several JT PR's. Trey Knight's 233-10- HT. Schwartz's 10.09 in the 100, and Hoey's 800 time of 1:48.07!
Mondo gets the Personality Award also---not for his historic marks, but for his interactions with guys 6 to 13 years older than him---who sort of adopted him as their friend and CO-EQUAL competitor---unashamedly!!
The two HSR's to fall were Mondo's PV, and The Woodlands (TX) 4X200 Relay team's 1:23.25!
As for Class Records, Cole Sprout set a pair of Soph Class marks--the 3000 (8:13.85), and the 2 Mile (8:49.46).
Duplantis's 19-10.25 was the sole Senior Class record!
No Frosh or Junior Class records went down!
The only NBN Meet Record to fall went to KC Lightfoot's PV of 18-0.50!!
My Event of the Year is determined by the number of marks on my various Top 24 A-T Performers lists---or DDD's, as I call them!
And here again, Mondo leads the way!
The PV leads with 5 marks dated 2018!
The 200 has 3 marks.
With a pair are the 100, 1500, and the JT!
With one each are the 800, 3000, 5000, 3000SC, HJ, SP, and the HT!
Striking out were the 400, Mile, Two Mile, 10000, 110H, 400H, LJ, TJ, DT, and the Decathlon!
Following are all those who made my various DDD's!
My Event of the Year is determined by the number of marks on my various Top 24 A-T Performers lists---or DDD's, as I call them!
And here again, Mondo leads the way!
The PV leads with 5 marks dated 2018!
The 200 has 3 marks.
With a pair are the 100, 1500, and the JT!
With one each are the 800, 3000, 5000, 3000SC, HJ, SP, and the HT!
Striking out were the 400, Mile, Two Mile, 10000, 110H, 400H, LJ, TJ, DT, and the Decathlon!
Following are all those who made my various DDD's!
(Events with NO marks are NOT listed!!)
100 Schwartz (10.09 4th), K Carter (10.22 19th, tied with 1 other)
200 Bednarek (20.43 11th, tied with 1 other) Schwartz (20.47 15th, tied with 1 other) Tarantino (20.51 19th, tied with 1 other)
100 Schwartz (10.09 4th), K Carter (10.22 19th, tied with 1 other)
200 Bednarek (20.43 11th, tied with 1 other) Schwartz (20.47 15th, tied with 1 other) Tarantino (20.51 19th, tied with 1 other)
800 J Hoey (1:48.07 12th)
1500 Hasty (3:43.77 10th) Hengst (3:45.59 24th)
3000 Hasty (8:00.92 2nd)
5000 Mwaury (14:00.42 9th)
3000SC Stokes (9:05.67 12th)
HJ Patterson (7-4 18th, tied with 7 others)
PV Duplantis (19-10.25 HSR 1st) Guttormsen (18-10.25 2nd) Lightfoot (18-5 3rd) Ellis (18-3.25 6th) Bradford (18-2.50 8th)
SP T Jones (71-8.75 15th, tied with 1 other)
JT Pedigo (242-0 4th) Mirabelli (227-10 16th)
HT Knight (233-10 19th)
But the Women!!!
3000SC Stokes (9:05.67 12th)
HJ Patterson (7-4 18th, tied with 7 others)
PV Duplantis (19-10.25 HSR 1st) Guttormsen (18-10.25 2nd) Lightfoot (18-5 3rd) Ellis (18-3.25 6th) Bradford (18-2.50 8th)
SP T Jones (71-8.75 15th, tied with 1 other)
JT Pedigo (242-0 4th) Mirabelli (227-10 16th)
HT Knight (233-10 19th)
But the Women!!!
JEEZ!!!
In my 5 years of producing a High School AOY award (whether INdoors or OUTdoors!), I have never had a more difficult time coming to a final decision!!
In my 5 years of producing a High School AOY award (whether INdoors or OUTdoors!), I have never had a more difficult time coming to a final decision!!
So instead of just naming my winners, let me run down my thinking---in inverse order!
In 5th (a tie)---but as close to FIRST as you can possibly get!!--came Tamari Davis AND Brianna Williams!
Both ran 100's in 11.13!
Davis sped 200 in 22.48, while Williams was THIS close--her best being 22.50!
Davis sped 200 in 22.48, while Williams was THIS close--her best being 22.50!
As NINTH GRADERS!!!
In 3rd is Anna Hall!
Her SMASHING of the venerable Kendell Williams's HSR by 220 points in the Heptathlon was made all the more incredible because she did it as an ELEVENTH GRADER!!
Then I came to THE hardest choice I've ever had to make for AOY!
After all, Katelyn Tuohy FINALLY took down the 36 year old HSR for the Mile--something I've been URGING the elite Women of the past few years to do--or at least TRY to do!!
In 3rd is Anna Hall!
Her SMASHING of the venerable Kendell Williams's HSR by 220 points in the Heptathlon was made all the more incredible because she did it as an ELEVENTH GRADER!!
Then I came to THE hardest choice I've ever had to make for AOY!
After all, Katelyn Tuohy FINALLY took down the 36 year old HSR for the Mile--something I've been URGING the elite Women of the past few years to do--or at least TRY to do!!
And this incredible athlete did it as a solo effort---on a hot day!!
But Taylor Ewart broke the HSR for the 10000 meter Walk (on a track!!) not once, but TWICE---the 2nd time by THREE MINUTES & TEN SECONDS!!
AND she was the fastest HS'er over the 2000SC distance--running!!
Ewart and Tuohy are both Sophs!!
Both are amazing athletes!
Ewart is in a class by herself--being a Walker AND a Runner---and top-notch in both!
Tuohy probably doesn't need a career re-cap here---but we might never see (unless SHE does it!!) a run like her INdoor 5000 of 15:37.12 this past winter!
Ewart DESERVES to be AOY!!
The HSR she broke belonged to Maria Michta (Coffey)!
But Taylor Ewart broke the HSR for the 10000 meter Walk (on a track!!) not once, but TWICE---the 2nd time by THREE MINUTES & TEN SECONDS!!
AND she was the fastest HS'er over the 2000SC distance--running!!
Ewart and Tuohy are both Sophs!!
Both are amazing athletes!
Ewart is in a class by herself--being a Walker AND a Runner---and top-notch in both!
Tuohy probably doesn't need a career re-cap here---but we might never see (unless SHE does it!!) a run like her INdoor 5000 of 15:37.12 this past winter!
Ewart DESERVES to be AOY!!
The HSR she broke belonged to Maria Michta (Coffey)!
But she finished "just" 10th in her race at the World Juniors!
And this Blog pays NO attention to the 2K SC--only the 3000SC!
But KATELYN TUOHY gets my 2018 OUTdoor Athlete of the Year Award NOT because she broke a HSR, but because of the EVENT she broke the record in!!
For this Blogger, the Mile remains THE best Middle Distance event!
And this Blog pays NO attention to the 2K SC--only the 3000SC!
But KATELYN TUOHY gets my 2018 OUTdoor Athlete of the Year Award NOT because she broke a HSR, but because of the EVENT she broke the record in!!
For this Blogger, the Mile remains THE best Middle Distance event!
And breaking such an old mark as Polly Plumer's adds weight to her accomplishment!
The reason I hesitated was because she took the record down by just 1.37 seconds!
She's CAPABLE of something between 4:25 and 4:28!
So give the Award to Tuohy because of WHAT she ran, NOT for her time!!
And do so by the very slimmest of margins---a mere sliver--a fraction of a centimeter, one-ten thousandth of a second!!
Thus, my HM's are actually CO-EQUAL AOY's in disguise!!!
So give the Award to Tuohy because of WHAT she ran, NOT for her time!!
And do so by the very slimmest of margins---a mere sliver--a fraction of a centimeter, one-ten thousandth of a second!!
Thus, my HM's are actually CO-EQUAL AOY's in disguise!!!
And they go to all of the above--Williams, Davis, Hall, and Ewart!
BUT my Performance of the Year goes to Ewart's 45:57.81 for her track 10K Walk!!
However, once again we find ourselves with a set of HM's who came THIS close to topping this category!
Hall's Hept, Davis's & Williams's 200's (and their matching 100's), and of course Tuohy's Mile!!
You can add Caitlin Collier's 2:00.85 800, Dana Baker's JT of 180-10, Jasmine Moore's TJ of 44-1, and Sterling Lester's Hept score of 5523 points!
And TAYLOR EWART wins my Personality of the Year Award also!
In my memory, similarly talented among the Women these past few years were Stephanie Jenks and Allie Ostrander!
Hall's Hept, Davis's & Williams's 200's (and their matching 100's), and of course Tuohy's Mile!!
You can add Caitlin Collier's 2:00.85 800, Dana Baker's JT of 180-10, Jasmine Moore's TJ of 44-1, and Sterling Lester's Hept score of 5523 points!
And TAYLOR EWART wins my Personality of the Year Award also!
In my memory, similarly talented among the Women these past few years were Stephanie Jenks and Allie Ostrander!
Jenks was a solid distance runner,but also an accomplished Tri-athlete!
Ostrander was a great distance runner, but also a renowned Mountain Racer!!
Ewart's being both a Walker AND a Runner puts her in that class!
That she's willing to take on BOTH--and feel passionate about each--gives her a personality I can easily admire!
Ostrander was a great distance runner, but also a renowned Mountain Racer!!
Ewart's being both a Walker AND a Runner puts her in that class!
That she's willing to take on BOTH--and feel passionate about each--gives her a personality I can easily admire!
Besides Tuohy's, Ewart's, and Hall's, HSR's were also set by Densa East (sp?) in the Swedish Relay (1:42.63), and Western Branch (VA) in the Shuttle Hurdles Relay, time of 54.67!
Frosh Class records fell to Davis in the 100 (11.13) and 200 (22.48).
Soph Class records went to Tuohy (4:33.87 AND her 3000 of 9:09.71), as well as Ewart's Walk!
Hall's Hept and Tia Jones's 12.89 in the 100H were Junior Class records!
NO Senior Class records fell!!
Best Event was---by about Two Miles (LOL)---the Two Mile, with 8 marks on my DDD!
The PV has 4.
With 3 each were the 200, JT, HT, and the Heptathlon!
The 100, 400, 1500, Mile, and 100H have a pair apiece.
With one are the 800, 3000, LJ, TJ, and DT!
With ZERO marks are the 5000, 10000, 3000SC, 400H, HJ, and SP!
As is common, my Women's DDD's are FILLED with marks made in 2018!!
Again, events with no marks are NOT listed!
100 T Davis (11.13 4th, tied with 3 others) B Williams (11.13 4th, tied with 3 others)
Frosh Class records fell to Davis in the 100 (11.13) and 200 (22.48).
Soph Class records went to Tuohy (4:33.87 AND her 3000 of 9:09.71), as well as Ewart's Walk!
Hall's Hept and Tia Jones's 12.89 in the 100H were Junior Class records!
NO Senior Class records fell!!
Best Event was---by about Two Miles (LOL)---the Two Mile, with 8 marks on my DDD!
The PV has 4.
With 3 each were the 200, JT, HT, and the Heptathlon!
The 100, 400, 1500, Mile, and 100H have a pair apiece.
With one are the 800, 3000, LJ, TJ, and DT!
With ZERO marks are the 5000, 10000, 3000SC, 400H, HJ, and SP!
As is common, my Women's DDD's are FILLED with marks made in 2018!!
Again, events with no marks are NOT listed!
100 T Davis (11.13 4th, tied with 3 others) B Williams (11.13 4th, tied with 3 others)
200 T Davis (22.48 3rd) B Williams (22.50 5th) A Steiner (22.73 7th)
400 Holmes (51.21 7th) Minor (51.92 16th)
800 Collier (2:00.85 4th)
400 Holmes (51.21 7th) Minor (51.92 16th)
800 Collier (2:00.85 4th)
1500 Tuohy (4:14.45 8th) Collier (4:18.40 18th)
Mile Tuohy (4:33.87 HSR 1st) Collier (4:38.48 7th)
3000 Tuohy (9:09.71 3rd)
2 Mile Noe (9:54.95 4th) Hart (9:56.40 6th) Gaughn (9:59.40 7th) Vanderlende (9:59.92 8th)
Culbreath (10:03.29 16th) M Denner (10:04.53 17th) Covert (10:05.19 19th) E Denner (10:05.68 23rd)
NOTE--Tuohy's VERY fast 3200 time was NOT considered for my lists--or my AOY considerations!
100H Stark (13.16 11th) Hicks (13.24 22nd)
LJ J Moore (20-11.75 19th, tied with 2 others)
TJ J Moore (44-1 6th)
PV Campbell (14-0 7th, tied with 6 others) Hayward (14-0 7th, tied with 6 others) C Cunliffe (14-0 7th, tied with 6 others) Fixsen (13-11.25 14th, tied with 2 others)
DT Moran (179-7 16th, tied with 1 other)
JT D Baker (180-10 3rd) Ciccolini (177-0 5th) T Clark (165-3 20th)
HT S Kunza (195-6 7th) S Moran (191-11 16th) G Rao (189-1 19th)
Hept (Hall (5798 HSR 1st) Lester (5523 5th) Jaskaviciute (5251 22nd)
3000 Tuohy (9:09.71 3rd)
2 Mile Noe (9:54.95 4th) Hart (9:56.40 6th) Gaughn (9:59.40 7th) Vanderlende (9:59.92 8th)
Culbreath (10:03.29 16th) M Denner (10:04.53 17th) Covert (10:05.19 19th) E Denner (10:05.68 23rd)
NOTE--Tuohy's VERY fast 3200 time was NOT considered for my lists--or my AOY considerations!
100H Stark (13.16 11th) Hicks (13.24 22nd)
LJ J Moore (20-11.75 19th, tied with 2 others)
TJ J Moore (44-1 6th)
PV Campbell (14-0 7th, tied with 6 others) Hayward (14-0 7th, tied with 6 others) C Cunliffe (14-0 7th, tied with 6 others) Fixsen (13-11.25 14th, tied with 2 others)
DT Moran (179-7 16th, tied with 1 other)
JT D Baker (180-10 3rd) Ciccolini (177-0 5th) T Clark (165-3 20th)
HT S Kunza (195-6 7th) S Moran (191-11 16th) G Rao (189-1 19th)
Hept (Hall (5798 HSR 1st) Lester (5523 5th) Jaskaviciute (5251 22nd)
10000 Walk (Ewart 45:57.81 HSR 1st)
Coming soon will be my Collegiate AOY's!!
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