Best of DyeStat: Nepo's Favorite Photos of 2023

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Our photo archive from 2023 set a record with more than 77,000 images from a busy year in track and field and cross country. That's more than 20,000 more than the previous high, in 2022.

We were at more meets and we had more help.  

Before we get to John Nepolitan's photos, it feels only right to thank our much larger (and growing) cast of contributors to the images that we collect and archive, use in stories and present on social media. Photography is essential to telling the story of the sport.

To Kim Spir, Becky Holbrook, Tim Healy, Ken Martinez, Phil Yearian, Brynn Kleinke, Carol Chen, Bert Richardson, Donal Pearce, Lily Dozier, Ken Dorsey, David Hicks, Crash Kamon, Chuck Aragon, Jamison Michael, Natasha Swanson, Micah Thornton, Andrew LeMay, Kylie Graham, CJ Kelleher, Murray Schukar, Tommy Wolf, Chuck Utash, Bobby Goddin, Phil Ponder, Carlos Celio, Tony Ramos Flores, John Decker, Griffin Forberg, Ethan Buck, James Robinson, Ava Kitzi, Brandon Lindner, Elijah A'gurs, Zeth Peterka and Keenan Gray -- thank you! 

Nepo (you can follow him at @JohnNepolitan) is a school teacher at Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey, he covers all the big events in NY/NJ, Boston, sometimes the West coast and even Europe. He has been a central figure in DyeStat coverage for more than 15 years. 

Here some of Nepo's selected favorites from 2023:

Nepo: Birth of a star. The find of the 2023 indoor season was freshman Quincy Wilson of Bullis MD, who set a new national freshman records in the 300 meters, 500 meters, 600 meters (photo from the Millrose Games 600 where he ran the No. 5 time in HS history 1:17.80).

Nepo: Paul McGuire of Don Bosco Prep NJ had most of his final high school season wiped out by injury but in his final race before heading off to Clemson, McGuire anchored his team to the Emerging Elite DMR title at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals and all that injury frustration came flowing out at the finish line.

Nepo: Karrie Baloga of Cornwall Central NY had a highlight-filled senior year: state titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor track; the Champs Sports national cross country title; a team bronze medal at the World XC U20 Championships; Penn Relays 3,000 victory; and for, a time, the national record in the 2,000-meter steeplechase. (Photo from the Cornwall Steeplefest)

Nepo: Harvard's Graham Blanks made a move early and then had to power up the final hill to finish off an undefeated XC season with an NCAA title. 

Nepo: Max Burgin (UK) arrived at the 2022 World Outdoor Champs with the fastest time in the world in the 800 and high hopes but was forced to withdraw before the heats because of deep vein thrombosis. Then an injury-filled 2023 season made it appear he would miss another World Championships. With one last chance to achieve the qualifying mark Burgin took the win at the London Diamond League meet in a season best 1:43.85 to punch his ticket to Budapest. Burgin led the top eight finishers to season or lifetime bests. 

Nepo: From the Penn Relays 4xMile. All of the pre-meet talk was about how fast and by how much would the University of Washington squad would lower the collegiate record or challenge the world record. But someone forgot to tell Villanova and Liam Murphy how the race was supposed to finish.

Nepo: In the Penn Relays boys 4 x 800 relay, Chatham NJ came from behind to upset Kingston College (Jamaica) for the win at the rain soaked Franklin Field in Philadelphia. 

Nepo:  Sam Tanner of New Zealand let everyone at the London Diamond League meet know that he was ready for the World Championships. 

Nepo: At the Loucks Games in New York, Aidan Cox of Coe-Brown NH led most of the last mile in the 3,200 meters, but could not hold off a fast-closing Antonio Camacho-Bucks of Centennial MD, 8:58.32 to 8:58.35.

Nepo: Katelyn Tuohy may not have won her final race in an N.C. State uniform, but battling sickness Tuohy did lead her Wolfpack team to its third straight team title. The end of an era.