By Ricky Quintana
Photos by Victah Sailer
Photos by Ross Dettman
Eugene, OR- Athletes continued to produce outstanding performances at the Nike Outdoor Championships on Day 2 on Friday afternoon at Hayward Field. NSAF Middle School meet records, Hayward Field records and several US All-Time marks were set under great conditions.
Here’s some of the highlights:
Men’s Professional 1500m
In the final event of the night, OTC’s Matt Wisner used a 55.89 last 400m to win the men’s professional 1500m in a new personal best time of 3:36.87. His previous best was 3:38.17.
Nike's Conner Mantz caught high school senior Simeon Birnbaum(Stevens, Rapid City, SD) to place second in 3:37.92 which was also a personal best for Mantz by 0.04 seconds.
Earlier in the week, Birnbaum had asked race organizers to allow him to run the 1500m and they agreed. He is also scheduled to run the Boys Championship mile on the Sunday against the deepest field in high school history.
Birnbaum followed the pacesetters comfortably and finished off with a 57.47 final 400m to finish third in 3:37.93. The time was the second best in US High School history behind Hobbs Kessler’s 3:34.36 in 2021. The time also set an age 17 record which was set by Jim Ryun in 1964. Ryun’s 3:39.0 was set 59 years ago. Brinbaum is 6 days shy of his 18th birthday. He also holds the US age 17 record in the mile with his 3:57.53 time in winning the HOKA Festival of Miles.
Birnbaum said in an interview with The Running Effect’s Dominic Schlueter two weeks ago that he felt he was capable of a 3:36 1500m time.
Results and video
Interview with Birnbaum after the race by Keenan Gray
Interview with Matt Wisner
Interview with Sinclaire Johnson
Boys 4x800 Meter Relay Championship
Hinsdale Central(IL) won the 4 x 800m in the second fastest time in US High School history, 7:29.20 for their second consecutive NON win. The time was also the fastest time in the US this season. Vestavia Hills finished second in the fifth fastest time in US High School history, 7:30.68 and US#2 this season. Hinsdale’s winning time was also a Hayward Field record.
Hinsdale junior Aden Bandukwala led off with a 1:51.48 to give them a 1.22 second lead over Vestavia Hill’s Henry Strand. Second leg Michael Skora held the lead with a 1:54.21 split. Third leg Grant Miller(1:55.22) was caught by Vestavia Hills’ Max Armstrong, 1:52.06, on the homestretch of the third leg and gave them a 0.31 second lead. Alex Leath(1:50.08) took the baton for Vestavia Hills as Hinsdale’s Dan Watcke shadowed him on his outside shoulder. In the final straight away, Watcke(1:48.29) accelerated to pull away for the final margin. Watcke negative splitted his leg with a sizzling 54.85, 53.44.
Iowa City finished third in in 7:36.69 for a US #5 time.
NSAF meets can now claim four of the top six marks ever run in US High School history. Hinsdale moves to #2 in and Vestavia Hills to #3 in meet history.
Results and video
Interview with Aaron Potts
Girls Champ 100 Meter Dash
Junior Mia Brahe-Pedersen(Lake Oswego, OR) sped to new NSAF meet record of 11.11(+0.2) to win her first NON 100m title of her career. University of Illinois signee Sophia Beckmon(Oregon City, OR) finished second in 11.35.
Brahe-Pedersen came into the final as the fastest qualifier in 11.32( -0.2 wind). In the final, Brazil Neal(Serra, Gardena, CA) got out best, but it was short lived. By 20m, Brahe-Pedersen caught her and then the quick Tori Cameron(Stephenville, TX) to take command by the 50m mark and pull away for the win.
Brahe-Pedersen’s time eclipsed the NSAF meet record of 11.19 run by Tamari Davis(Gainesville, FL) in 2018. It also equaled the fifth fastest US HS time this season. On Wednesday at the Brooks PR Invitational, Brahe-Pedersen ran 11.09 to finish second behind the National High School record holder, Shawnti Jackson who won in 11.00. Jackson ran the US High School record of 10.89 earlier this season.
Brahe-Pedersen now has three of the top thirteen fastest times in US HS School history.
Results and video
Interview with Aaaron Potts
Girls Champ Discus Throw
Junior Madeleine Fey(Midlothian, TX) used a booming first throw of 178-05(54.39m) to take her second NON title in a row. The mark moved her to #2 All time in NSAF meet history and was a US #3 best mark this season. Fey holds the second best mark with her personal best of 182-04. Fey had only one other fair throw of 164-08 in the fourth round.
Results and video
Interview with Aaron Potts
Girls Champ Long Jump
University of Illinois signee Sophia Beckmon(Oregon City, OR) leapt 21-07.25 to win her third straight NON title. The mark erased the previous Hayward Field record of 21-04 set by Carol Lewis of NJ in 1980- 43 years ago. Junior Alyssa Banales(North, McKinney, TX) finished second with a leap of 20-05. Banales represented the USA in the long jump at the World U20 Championships last year in Cali, Colombia and finished 20th.
Beckmon had two other fair jumps. She opened with a 18-11.25 and soared to a 21-04.75 mark on her third jump after a second round foul. Her winning mark came on her sixth and final jump.
Beckmon’s 21-07.25 mark was the 13th best jump in US History. She also has the #2 best mark and moved to second best in NSAF meet history.
Results and video
Interview with Aaron Potts
Girls Champ Pole Vault
University of Washington signee Hana Moll(Capital, Olympia, WA) cleared 14-06 to win her first NON title. Moll improved over her second place finish last year and moved to #2 best performance in NSAF meet history.
Junior Ella McRitchie(Bainbridge, Bainbridge Island, WA) and Jathiyah Muhammad(Dublin,CA) both cleared 14-02 with McRitchie finishing second based on fewer misses. Both moved to #5 in NSAF meet history.
Moll entered at 13-06.25 and had no misses through 14-06. Muhammad entered at 12-08.25 and had no misses through 13-10, but McRitchie cleared on her first attempt at 14-02 and Muhammad on her second attempt to earn the second place finish. Moll upped the height to 14-09, but missed on her three attempts. Moll’s mark was the thirds highest this season with McRitchie and Muhmmad tied for fifth best this season.
Results and video
Interview with Aaron Potts
Boys Champ 100 Meter Dash
University of Oregon signee Rodrick Pleasant(Serra, Gardena, CA) won the 100m final in 10.21(+0.4) to just outlast sophomore Maurice Gleaton(Langston Hughes, Fairburn, GA) who finished second in 10.30.
In the final, freshman Kendrick Jones(Lake Belton, Temple TX) in lane 6, the fastest qualifier out of the preliminaries, 10.50(+0.7), false started and was disqualified. After a reset and start, Pleasant, in lane five, got out even with Gleaton. After 60m, Pleasant began to inch away from the hard running Gleaton.
Pleasant’s time was the third fastest in NSAF meet history and the seventh fastest time this season. Pleasant and Gleaton have run US #2 time this season, 10.14 as well.
Results and video
Interview with Aaron Potts
Boys MS 800 Meter Run
Eighth grader Cooper Lutkenhaus(Gene Pike MS, Justin, TX) set his second NSAF meet record winning the MS 800m run in a time of 1:53.59. It bettered his personal best of 1:54.20 he ran on Wednesday at the Brooks PR Invitational. On Thursday’s opening day, he won the 400m onThursday in 48.70.
The previous record, 2:00.25, was set by Marcus Reilly(Northbridge, MA) in 2021.
Lucas Alberts, Sutter MS(Sacramento, CA) was also under the previous record finishing second in 1:58.83. His time was MS US #5 fastest time.
1:53.59(54.60,58.99) MS US #1 Cooper Lutkenhaus, Gene Pike MS (Justin, TX)
1:58.83 MS US #5 Lucas Alberts, Sutter MS(Sacramento, CA) 8th grader
Boys MS 200 Meter Dash
Seventh grader Jasir Fontenot, East Lake MS(San Diego, CA) set his second NSAF meet record in winning the 200m in 22.58. The time bettered Mekhi Gammons 22.60 set on June 13, 2019.
22.58(+0.4) MS US#5 Jasir Fontenot East Lake MS, San Diego, CA 7th grade
Boys Champ 4x200 Meter Relay
Legacy(Bismarck, ND) won the 4 x 200m relay in a time of 1:24.74 to set a Hayward Field record. The team of Talen Farlan(Sr), Reece Snow(Jr), Nathan Mathern(Sr), and Dylan McGlothin(Sr) won by 2.19 seconds. The previous record, 1:26.36, was set by Cardinal Hayes, NY in 2021.
Results and video
Interview with Aaron Potts
1:24.74 US #10 Legacy, Bismarck, ND(Talen Farland, Reece Snow, Nathan Mathern, Dylan McLothlin)
Girls Champ 4 x 200 Meter Relay
Santa Fe(Edmond, OK) set a Hayward Field record with their winning time of 1:38.45.Nia Moore(So), Zoey Battles(Jr),Zoelie Deaton(Fr) and Emmanuella Njenje(Sr) erased the previous record of 1:39.22 run by Union, OR in 2017
Results and video
Interview with Aaaron Potts
Boys Champ Decathlon
Junior Neil Howard, Taconic Hills Central(Craryville, NY) used a strong second day to jump five places to take the decathlon title in a new personal best of 7,153 and win the national title. On the first day, Howard set two personal bests in the 100m, 11.30 and the 400m, 48.49 to move from tenth to fifth place in total points. On the second day, he finished second in the first event, the 110m H to move up one place and then set a personal best of 119’07.5 to finish seventh place in the discus. That knocked him back to fifth place. Then, he vaulted himself into the lead with a towering 15-09 clearance in the pole vault to move into first place in the total scoring.. A fourth place finish in the javelin with a personal best of 155-08.75 left him 32 points behind favorite Aiden Carter of Brentwood, TN. In the final event, Howard beat Carter by 35 seconds to earn the victory. The mark was the third best in NSAF National meet history and the best this year.
Junior Max Tucker, Mt. Pisgah Christian School(Milton, GA ) placed second improving 838 on his personal best to score 7,035. Tucker ran a stunning 4:09.97 in the final event, the 1500m, to slice six seconds off his personal best and move up from fifth place.
Texas State University signee, Benjamin Blomqvist, Champion(Boerne, TX) finished third with 7,016 after briefly taking the lead after the disc throw. In all, five different decathletes in the field had the lead at one point as the top five were separated by 246 points.
Below are Neil Howard, Taconic Hills Central( Craryville, NY) marks over the two day event and his personal bests for each of those events.
100m-11.30 PB 11.30
LJ- 6.67m (21-10.5) PB 22-10.5
SP - 12.60m (41-04) PB 41-04
HJ- 1.65m (5-05) PB 5-05.75
400m- 48.49 PB 48.49
110mH- 14.97 PB 14.83
DT-36.46m (119-07.5) PB 119’07.5
PV-4.80m 15-09 PB 15-09
Jav 155-08.75 PB 145-10.75
1500 4:20.33 PB 4:36.74
7153 PB 6683
Results and video
Interview with Aaaron Potts
Boys GARMIN Champ 5000 Meter Run
Junior Byron Grevious, Phillips Exeter Academy(Exeter, NH) won the 5,000m run in 14:24.04 to win by 18 seconds. The time was the third fastest in NSAF meet history and US #12 fastest time this season. His previous best was 14:36.14.
After an opening 1k in 2:52.95, Grievous ran on his own as he extended his lead to the finish. Tate Underwood(Johnson, San Antonio, TX) was second in 14:42.39.
Results and video
Girls GARMIN Champ 5000 Meter Run
University or Arkansas signee Paityn Noe, Ballard(Huxley, IA) won the 5,000m run in 16:04.69 for her first NON title. Emily Wisniewski, Crescent Valley(Corvallis OR) finished second in 16:10.16.
After a fast first kilometer in 3:04.73(15:23-24 pace) by sophomore Eleanor Raker, Galena(Reno,NV), sophomore Zariel Macchia, William Floyd(Mastic Beach, NY) took over for two laps. Then Noe took over and led the rest of the way for the win.
Noe’s time was a US#1 and the second fastest in NSAF history and broke the Hayward Field record of 16:10.42 run by Ellie Shea of MA in 2021. Wisniewski was US#2 and moved to #3 in NSAF history.
Sophomore Wisniewski stayed with the leaders through 6.5 laps, but then dropped off as Poe began maintained the 77-79 pace. Wisniewski managed to keep her pace under 80 the rest of the way catching 3 laps to go and finishing strong in 16:10.16. Her time was also under the old NSAF meet record and broke the sophomore record and age 15 record of 16:10.42 set by Ellie Shea of Belmont, MA in 2021.
Results and video
Interview with Aaron Potts
16:17.29 US #3 Zariel Macchia, William Floyd(Mastic Beach, NY), So
16:50.01 US #5 Eleanor Raker, Galena(Reno, NV), So
16:58.04 US #6 Addison Knoblauch, Homestead(Fort Wayne, IN) Jr
17:00.17 US #7 Jade Rypkema, Nevis(MN), Sr
17:07.32 US#10 Arielle Avina, Murietta Valley(Murietta,CA) Fr
17:08.26 US #11 Taylor Isabel, Mounds View(St. Paul, MN) Sr
Girls 800 Meter Run Middle School
2:13.16 MS US#2 Ava Padilla, Windermere Ranch MS, San Ramon, CA 7th grade
2:13.84 MS US #3 Grace Smith, Canyon Hills JHS, Chino Hills, CA 7th grade
2:15.06 MS US #5 Sky St. Louis, Red Rock MS, Morrison, CO 7th grade
2:16.32 MS US #8 Reese Holley, San Elijo MS, Vista, CA 8th grade
2:16.37 MS US #9 Evylee Bugher, Sherwood MS, Sherwood, OR 8th
2:16.74 MS US #10 Ellery Lincoln, Catlin Gabel, Portland, OR 8th grade
Boys Champ Steeple
6:01.48 US #3 Noe Kemper, Boise, ID Jr
6:03.05 US #7 Garrett Mackey, Central Catholic, Portland, OR, Sr
6:06.29 US #9 Caleb Woolford, Maple Mountain, Spanish Fork, UT, Jr
6:06.49 US #10 Kyle Jones, Howard, Ellicott City, MD, Sr
6:07.78 US #12 Trevor Hayes, West Hampton Beach HS, East Moriches, NY, Jr
Results and video
Girls Champ Steeple
6:44.00 US #7 Raygan Peterson, Timpanogos, Orem, UT, Sr
6:49.33 US #8 Jessica Frydenlund, Anacortes HS, WA, Sr
6:52.75 US #9 Margaret Thompson, Hockaday, Dallas, TX, Jr
Results and video
Interview with Aaron Potts
Girls Champ 4 x 800m
8:51.78 US #3 Del Norte, San Diego, CA ( Emily Russo, Ella Echsner, Hannah Riggins, Paige Echsner)
8:52.26 US #4 J Serra Catholic, San Juan Capistrano, CA (Anastasia Snodgrass, Brooke O’Brien, Anne Elise Packard, Georgia Jeanneret)
8:58.74 US#6 South Lakes, Reston, VA (Aya Ryan, Catalina Simon, Carline Elliott, Bella Harsanyi)
Results and video
Interview with Aaro Potts
Girls Sprint Medley Relay
4:02.29 US #5 Newton South (Ellie Jolly, Christine Zong, Emily Frawley, Amelia Everett)
Results and video
Interview with Aaron Potts
More Information on today’s schedule and meet can be found at NikeOutdoorNationals.com. A preview of top events for each day can be found at this link.
For more information, please contact Ricky Quintana at [email protected].
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About the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation, Inc.
The National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1990, with the mission to inspire and empower student athletes on and off the track. The NSAF supports high school and junior-aged track and field athletes through national high school competitions, including Nike Indoor and Nike Outdoor Nationals; The Great American XC Festival and HBCU Challenge and the Nike XC Town Twilight. The NSAF provides approximately $250,000 in grants annually. For more information about the NSAF, please visit NationalScholastic.org.
About TrackTown USA, Inc.
TrackTown USA, Inc. is a non-profit organization committed to setting a standard of excellence in hosting premier track and field events, creating a supportive environment for elite athletic performances, being a leader in sustainable sport practices, and inspiring the next generation of track and field athletes and fans. The organization was responsible for organizing the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships, the 2015 and 2022 USATF Outdoor Championships, the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, and the 2016 and 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials—Track & Field. In partnership with USA Track & Field, the organization brought the 2022 World Athletics Championships to the United States for the first time. TrackTown delivers the Wanda Diamond League’s recurring Prefontaine Classic, recognized as one of the world’s best track and field meets.
