Upload a Photo Upload a Video Add a News article Write a Blog Add a Comment
Blog Feed News Feed Video Feed All Feeds

Folders

Featured (1014)
All (1388)
 

 

High School Athletes Rise To The Occasion With Historic Performances At American Track League Meet No. 3

Published by
DyeStat.com   Feb 8th 2021, 12:32am
Comments

Hobbs Kessler Smashes High School Record In The Indoor Mile With Stunning 3:57.66; Sophia Gorriaran (800) and Shawnti Jackson (60/200) Among Best Ever At Age 15

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Hello, world. Hello, record book. 

Sunday on an ESPN broadacast of the American Track League's third meet at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark., three high school athletes went toe-to-toe with the pros and produced exceptional performances. 

Nothing topped Hobbs Kessler, a Northern Arizona recruit from Ann Arbor Skyline High, who ran with maturity beyond his years to run 3:57.66 for third place in the mile behind Algeria's Takieddine Hedeilli, a Texas Tech senior, and New Zealand legend Nick Willis

Kessler struck like a bolt of lightning, surpassing Drew Hunter (3:57.81 in 2016) as the fastest high school indoor miler of all-time. The only preps that have ever run faster outdoors are Alan Webb and Jim Ryun. It's No. 2 on the all-time American U-20 list behind German Fernandez.

Willis, who trains in Ann Arbor with former Michigan coach Ron Warhurst, has taken Kessler under his wing and that mentorship has paid off. 

RESULTS

"Hobbs has really benefited from that relationship with Ron, and I've been fortunate to have Hobbs come into our family's lives as well," Willis said in a pre-race interview "And he's my son's favorite guy when we're working out at the track.

"He's incredibly talented, just like (19-year-old New Zealand standout) Sam Tanner. He's a multi-sport kid and he's been one of the best rock climbers in America all through his youth, and has only really started to get serious about running the past 18 months. The world is his oyster as well, and I'm excited to see where his talents are going to take him."

Sophomore Sophia Gorriaran, who attends Moses Brown High in Rhode Island, has been aggressively chasing history for the past month and made some in the women's 800 meters when she ran 2:02.44 to become the fourth-fastest high school runner all-time in that event. 

Gorriaran is the fastest 15-year old since Mary Decker, who ran a hand-timed 2:01.8 in 1974. Gorriaran's time, however, is a World U-18 indoor best.

Gorriaran boldly went to the lead of the women's race and was passed late by Adelle Tracey of Great Britain (2:02.11). She held off U.S. pro Nikki Hiltz (2:02.51), who was racing for the first time in a year. 

Gorriaran also achieved the U.S. Olympic Trials standard, which is 2:02.50.

Another 15-year old, Shawnti Jackson, made a splash in the women's 60 meters and 200 meters. 

Jackson (Wakefield NC), representing Run U XPress, ran a personal best 7.31 in the 60-meter prelims and advanced to the final as a wildcard selection. Then, she ran 7.24 in the final for seventh place. She broke Tamari Davis' sophomore class record (7.27) and moved all the way up into a tie for No. 5 on the all-time list. It's a World age 15 record. 

Jackson, the daughter of former world champion Bershawn "Batman" Jackson, returned to the track for the 200 meters and placed fourth in 23.23 seconds. That also edged Davis for the sophomore class record and matched Lauren Rain Willliams for No. 4 all-time. It's No. 2 on the World age 15 list. 

A fourth prep, Grace Cunningham (Bishop Gorman NV), got her first experience competing with the pros, including her older sister Vashti Cunningham, and jumped 5-5. 



More news

History for DyeStat.com
YearVideosNewsPhotosBlogs
2024 1090 350 13738  
2023 5382 1361 77508  
2022 4892 1212 58684  
Show 25 more
 
+PLUS highlights
+PLUS coverage
Live Events
Get +PLUS!