Hot HS'ers Surge

The above title was NOT my first choice!
No, that would have been a wordplay (actually a NAMEplay!) I thought of!
I changed it because I would've had to explain the title I'd chosen!
But here it is anyway!

Mu (A-thing) to behold

HER name is Athing Mu, and she's been a star for a few years now, despite being just a 16 year old HS Junior--born June 8, 2002!
Get it??
Mu A(-thing) to behold??

OK, let's move along!!

And despite there being THREE new HSR's to report, I'll begin with Ms Mu!

She began a tremendous week with a 400 time of 53.54, which made her 17th A-T HS!!
Then at the Virginia Showcase, she blew that time away by almost a full second (0.99 to be exact!), crossing the line in 52.55, moving her from 17th all the way to 5th!!
But she wasn't done!!
She followed that with a 600 in 1:28.54!!
That makes her 2nd A-T HS, with just Sammy Watson ahead of her!!
It gave her the Junior Class Record also!
She'd shown promise at distances longer than 400 before---as her OUTdoor 800 best is a sub-2:05!!
And it's only the 3rd week of January!!

As for those HSR's, Bullis HS of Maryland took down TWO of them!!
Their stud Relayers broke the 4X400  mark with a 3:12.53.
Then they sped the 4X200 in 1:25.60, again a HSR!!
Don't know how many ran both races!!

Taylor Ewert put on her WALKING shoes--after a successful XC season!
She Walked the 3000 in 13:24.76, breaking her own Record by over 20 seconds!!
She said she wants to Walk in the Pan Ams this summer, and try a 20K!!
(On Twitter, I predicted she could Walk 1:35 for that distance!!)

But HSR's weren't all that took place this weekend!!
Grant Holloway had quite a meet!
He ran the 60H in 7.49--twice!!--in the heat and the final!!
It's the Junior Class Record!
He also ran the 200 in 20.69, and ran 2nd leg on the 4X400!!

Speaking of Relays, Houston sped the 4X400 in 3:03.31, moving them from 7th A-T School, tied with 1 other, to 4th!!

A quick Men's 600 saw Donavan Brazier beat Carleton Orange, the Pro beating the Collegiate 1:15.46 to 1:16.51!
For Brazier, it makes him 5th A-T US, and 10th A-T World!
For Orange, he's now 10th A-T Collegiate, and 23rd A-T US!!

Removed FROM my US DDD were a pair of athletes who are Legends of the sport (to one degree or another!)
Lee Evans's 1:16.7 was run in 1973!!
And Nick Symmonds's 1:16.89 was run more recently--in 2013!!

Some other 600's were good.
Luis Perallta leads the HS crowd with his 1:19.14--which makes him 14th A-T HS!
And Natoya Goule ran the distance in 1:26.33--but it wasn't a PR!

Let's say it right now----MONDO CRASHED!!!
His best was just 18-1---with 3 fails at 18-6.25!
One disclaimer---he was using his biggest pole---and it was his 2019 rust-buster!!

But Ekaterina Stefanidi and Katie Nageotte battled it out in Reno---with Stefanidi edging Nageotte---both clearing 15-6.50!!

Chloe Cunliffe (See earlier post!) led the Girl HS'ers with her 14-0 clearance!
She became the 8th female HS'er to clear 14 feet INdoors!!
She moves from 12th A-T HS, tied with 2 others, to 7th, tied with 1 othet!!

Keturah Orji opened her season with a solid TJ of 47-2.50!

Anna Chicherova HJ'ed 6-7--taking over the World lead---and nabbing the Age 36 Record held by Ruth Beitia!!

I have some "old" marks to report---
Justin Robinson ran the 400 in 46.77, becoming 9th A-T HS!!

Cheyenne Figueroa--sister of Gabby--threw the WT 59-11.50, making her 21st A-T HS!!

In her 4:39.15 Mile (See earlier post!), Katelyn Tuohy hit the 1500 point in 4:19.72, moving her from 9th A-T HS to 5th!!

And we just might have a new long sprint star in the female ranks of HS!!
Kayla Davis's 38.03 shattered the Frosh Class Record in the 300!!
But she then broke her own mark with a 37.92!!
The former made her 13th A-T HS---while the latter moved her up to 12th!!
Not bad for a Frosh!!

The Houston Half saw some significant results!!

The Men's race was won by Shura Kitata in  60:11.
The Women's race went to Brigid Kosgei in 65:50--the fastest ever run in the United States!!
It makes her 14th A-T World, tied with 1 other!

On course for the American Record early on, Emily Sisson slowed a bit at the end--her 67:30 missing Molly Huddle's AR by just 5 seconds!
It makes her 3rd A-T US!!
However, Kara Goucher (who ran in the full Marathon) has a 66:57 to her credit!
It was run on the South Shields course, which is considered a downhill course!!

I have two interesting news items to report!!

Rai Benjamin has been cleared to compete for the United States---immediately!!

And the Prefontaine Classic---its home stadium being renovated--will be held at Stanford on  June 30th!!

Yes, Athing Mu is surely a "a thing" to behold!!
LOL

See you soon!!