Millrose Games Spots At Stake In Competitive Mile Fields At Dr. Sander Invitational

By Alex Geula for DyeStat

John Nepolitan photo

The Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge brings one of the highest profile events of the season to the Nike Track & Field Center at The Armory. At the heart of the weekend is a large college meet that has a reputation for producing headlines. Last year Katelyn Tuohy of N.C. State broke the collegiate record in the mile. The premier window is the Dr. Sander Invitational Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. Eastern. Top U.S. and international athletes will be on hand to try and build momentum into the Olympic year.

Below are 10 storylines highlighting the marquee events of the meet. 

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1. The Men’s Mile: Winner To Millrose 

The men’s mile figures to be one of the best races of the day, with the winner guaranteed a spot on the starting line of the Millrose Games Wanamaker Mile in two weeks. Eric Holt of Empire Elite Track Club, who finished second in the Dr. Sander mile in 2023, will be returning to lock in a straight visit to the Wanamaker Mile. A New York native, Holt, boasts a personal-best 3:53 in the mile. He opened his season last weekend at the NYC Gotham Cup, running a personal-best 7:51 in the 3,000 meters. Holt’s Empire Elite TC teammates, Ben Allen, Jack Salisbury and Nick Dahl will also be racing the mile. The crew is coached by 1992 U.S. Olympian in the 5,000 meters, John Trautmann. Another team that will be filling the field is the UA Mission Run Baltimore. The group has four runners in the field, most notably 2023 Pan American bronze medalist Casey Comber. International representation comes in the form of Canadian Rob Heppenstall, who represents the Atlanta TC, Rob Napolitano who was one of two Puerto Rican athletes to qualify for the 2023 World Championships, Adam Fogg of UA and Team GB, 800 meters standout Noah Kibet of Kenya and the Union Athletics Club, and the fastest man in the field: Charles Grethen of Luxembourg. Grethen has a personal-best 3:32 in the 1,500 meters. The lone NCAA athlete in the field is Charlie O’Donovan representing Villanova. Finally, American Josh Thompson of the Bowerman TC rounds out the field. Thompson was famously questionably DQ’d in last year’s indoor 1,500-meter final. He’ll look to bounce back this weekend and earn a spot in the Wanamaker Mile. 

2. The Women's Mile: Winner To Millrose 

The women are also racing for a spot on the starting line at the Millrose Games. The Atlanta TC has great representation in this race, with three athletes entered, most notably Laurie Barton. Atlanta TC recently hired coach Tom Nohilly, who formally worked with the Empire Elite group. Nike athlete Helen Schlachtenhaufen (Empire Elite) will also be on the starting line. International representation comes in the form of Berenice Fulchiron of France, Kate Current of Canada and Ellie Leather of Team GB. Fulchiron is the 2020 French national champion in the 1,500 meters. Other notable athletes include Lauren Hughes, Claudia Saunders and 2022 NCAA indoor mile champion Micaela DeGenero. 

3. International Flavor In Men’s 800

The field for the men’s 800 meters came together nicely, with representation from around the globe. Atlanta Track Club’s Shane Streich toes the line as the American record holder in the indoor 1,000 meters. Long Island native Luciano Fiore, formerly of Empire Elite and now of Atlanta Track Club, joins his teammate in the race. Two international former Oregon Ducks are in the field: Dominican Republic native Luis Peralta, who last week set a new 1,000 national record and Nike Union Athletics Club’s Charlie Hunter from Australia. The 2023 Egyptian national champion Hazem Miawad should feel at home in this race as he currently trains and lives in New York with Empire Elite. Puerto Rican John Rivera fills out the field and was the second Puerto Rican to qualify for the 2023 World Championships. Rivera is currently training in San Luis Obispo under Coach Ryan Vanhoy and training partner Craig Engels. The other athletes entered include Derek Holdsworth, UConn’s Mahamed Sharif, and John Lewis. 

4. Battle of UAC and Atlanta Track Club in the Women’s 800 

The Atlanta Track Club has two runners in the women's 800 field, including New Jersey prep legend Olivia Baker and Presley Weems. Baker has a personal-best 1:58. Pete Julian’s Union Athletics Club has McKenna Keegan and Michaela Meyer on the starting line. Meyer won the 2021 NCAA 800 title. Allie Wilson was formerly a part of the Atlanta Track Club, but now just represents adidas and will be looking to win her first race since stepping away from the club. French national champion in the 800 meters (2020) Cinthia Anais as well as 2023 Belgian national champion in the 800, Camille Laus, will be making their way to NYC. Susan Aneno of Uganda and Sadi Henderson round out the field. 

5. Showdown In The Men’s 400

The men’s 400 will feature 2023 Ivy League silver medalist Devon Davey from Columbia University taking on Tevin Richardson, who owns a personal best of 46.56.

6. Jamaica vs Puerto Rico vs USA In The Women’s 400

The women’s 400 will see Jamaican Leah Anderson, two-time Puerto Rican national champion Grace Claxton, and Leah Fair of the United States. 

7. Loaded Men’s Triple Jump Field 

The men’s triple jump features high profile international talent. U.S. Olympian and 2022 NACAC Champion Chris Benard will be taking on Emmanuel Ihemeje of Italy and Jah-Nhai Perinchief of Bermuda. Ihemeje won the 2021 NCAA triple jump championship competing for Oregon and finished eighth in the world last year, while Perinchief was the silver medalist to Benard in the 2022 NACAC championship. 

8. National Medalists Set To Soar In Men's High Jump 

The men’s high jump will feature the second and third place Americans from last year's national championships in Eugene, Shelby McEwen and Vernon Turner. McEwen won his lone outdoor U.S. title in 2022 and was last year’s indoor U.S. champion. The two are joined by Earnest Sears, the 2022 Pac-12 high jump champion from USC. 

9. Range of Ages in the Women’s Long Jump 

The women’s long jump is a field ranging from youngsters to veteran stars. Jasmine Todd, a 2015 world championship silver medalist in the 4x100 relay, will be taking on 18-year-old high school sensation and USC commit, Avery Lewis. However, the class of the field is Quanesha Burks, who finished second last year at USAs in the long jump. 

10. Women’s High Jump 

Details of the women’s high jump field are still coming together.