By Mary Albl of DyeStat

Here are girls storylines to follow at the Brooks PR Invitational at Renton Memorial Stadium in Renton, Wash.

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Hometown Flavor

If there’s a “hometown” event at Brooks, it’s the girls 2-mile. University of Washington signee Julia David-Smith of Issaquah is about 20 minutes away from Renton Memorial Stadium, rising senior Ella Borseheim of Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma, is a 30-minute drive, while recent graduate and Arkansas-bound Allie Janke of North Central High in Spokane is about four hours away. The three Washington products last raced each other in early June at the Stumptown Twilight meet in Portland where Janke won the 3,200 in 10:17.89, David-Smith was second (10:24.27) and Borsheim was fourth in 10:35.46. The three also ran at Brooks in 2019, the last time the event was held pre-COVID. Janke placed fourth in the mile (4:42.91), David-Smith was 14th (4:53.53), while Borseheim ran in the local mile, capturing second (4:56.46). 

The three in-state runners will face a plethora of challenges from runners outside the state, including Stanford-bound Audrey DaDamio, a recent graduate of Birmingham Seaholm MI, who clocked a US#4 10:02.25 3,200 at the Illinois Girls Meet of Champions on June 20. Sophie Atkinson of Katy Cinco Ranch TX (who won the adidas Boston Boost Games Mile in 4:41) will make the trip to Washington, along with teammate Heidi Nielson (scheduled to compete in the mile). Atkinson recently placed second in the 3,200 (10:09.21) at the Texas 6A state meet, a current US#10 time.

Chloe Scrimgeour of Conard High in Ct. will be one of a few athletes from the Northeast traveling across the country to compete. Scrimgeour, who is headed to Georgetown this fall, has experienced a breakout senior season winning the Class L state title in a personal-best time of 10:15.45. Rising seniors Lilly Shapiro (Colts Neck NJ) and Charlotte Bednar (Lawrenceville) of New Jersey are also in the field and should make for a fast eight-lap event. 

Olympic Experience

Fresh off competing in Eugene at the Olympic Track and Field Trials are middle distance runners Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker, both of whom advanced to the 800-meter semifinals, but fell short of qualifying for the final. While the two won't be an Olympic-caliber field at Brooks, the two rising seniors will still face plenty of competition. 

Willis, from Stevens Point WI, will go down a distance and look to lower her 400 time where she holds a personal-best and US#7 time of 53.62. She’lll be in a loaded field that is headlined by Run U Xpress’ Kayla Davis of North Carolina, whose resume includes a US#7 all-time outdoor 400 time of 51.71. Davis, a rising senior, recently finished in fifth place in the 100 (12.03) at the adidas Boston Boost Games. 

Kennedi Sanders of Madison MS, has a US#4 time of 53.19, and Hali Murphy of Austin, Texas US#5 time of 53.38, along with Douglas who’s also entered in the 400 with her 53.70, should provide Willis more than enough of a challenge.

Whittaker, from Catonsville, Md., will up a distance and run in a loaded girls 1 mile. She’s coming off an impressive Trials experience where she just missed making the women’s 800 final by two spots, running a PR and U.S. #2 time of 2:01.2 in the opening round. She’ll attempt to win her first Brooks title, but will be challenged by Mia Barnett of La Crescenta, Calif. The Virginia-bound distance runner has a US#2 mile time of 4:39.41. Also in the field is Riley Stewart of Englewood, Colo. The rising Cherry Creek senior is coming off a state meet last weekend where she won the 800 meters in 2:09.60, the 1,600 in 4:45.96 and the 3,200 in 10:31.45. 

The field of 13 girls has the capability of producing a sub-4:40 mile.

 A 100 Reunion

While the lineup for the girls 100-meter dash features names from across the country, it will be a reunion of sorts for the top female sprinters. Shawnti Jackson of Raleigh, N.C., Hannah Douglas of Bradenton, Fla. and Avery Lewis of Parkesburg, Pa. are more than familiar with one another. Jackson and Douglas recently raced at the adidas Boston Boost Games on May 23 where Jackson placed second (11.30). Earlier in May, Jackson, Douglas and Lewis, a rising sophomore, all competed at the Pure Athletics Sprint Meet in Florida running among an elite professional field in the 100 and 200. Jackson was the top finisher of the three in both events, running a personal-best and U.S. #2 time of 11.13 the 100 prelims, and finished fifth overall (11.28). Douglas ran 11.41 in the prelims and placed ninth in the final (11.56). Lewis, the youngest sprinter in the field, who finished 11th (11.70) against Douglas and Jackson in the 100 Sprint Meet, brings in a personal best time of 11.48.  

Lewis and Jackson are also connected as they are teammates for Run U Xpress, coached by Jackson’s father, Olympian Bershawn “Batman” Jackson.  

Jackson has bragging rights and the top time amongst the three heading into Brooks, but will be challenged. Kenondra Davis of Fort Worth, Texas, a Southern Cal signee and reigning 5A Texas State champ in the 100 (11.27) and 200 (23.11) last ran at Brooks in 2019 and brings in a wealth of experience. Add in Raven Nunnery of River Ridge, La., who was the Louisiana 5A State Champ in the 200 (23.41) and runner-up in 100 (11.52)  and this could be a very fast sprint to the finish.  

Florida Invasion

A flock of Florida's best female hurdles will make the trek to Washington to find out who is the top hurdler. The trio of Eddiyah Frye, Amanda Kinloch and Lucheyona Weaver, all recent high school graduates, come in with top 10 times in the country on their resumes. Frye of St. Thomas Aquinas and Kinloch of North Miami, last raced each other in May at the 4A state championships where Frye took the win in (13.53) and Kinloch was second (13.62). Frye boasts a personal-best of 13.42 (US#4), while Kinloch’s PR is 13.46, US#7. Weaver, the 3A Florida state champ (13.71), is No. 8 in the country with a PR of 13.48.  

While the Florida debate will get settled in Seattle, two of Texas’ top hurdlers -- Destiny Smith of Dickinson and Jaiya Covington of Eisenhower, will also have a say in who is the best prep hurdler not only in the state of Texas but the country. Smith, a Houston-commit, finished second at the 6A Texas state meet with a current US#2 time of 13.22, while Covington was right behind in third at states with a PR and US#3 13.28.

Talent In The 800

Even though the three girls who qualified for the 800 meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials are not on the lineup for this one, there is still major talent in this race. 

Freshman Ali Ince from Normal IL was a revelation this spring in Illinois, running a best of 2:04.10 for a US#4 ranking. 

Oregon junior Chloe Foerster from Portland's Jesuit High ran the fastest 800 meters in more than 40 years this spring when she ran 2:05.27 at the Portland Track Festival.