Running On 'Adrenaline' Whittaker Moves To 13th On All-Time List In Mile

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

RENTON, Wash. -- Moments after winning the girls mile at the Brooks PR Invitational on Friday afternoon, a big grin on her face, her hands clinging to hershoe-shaped trophy, Juliette Whittaker showed no noticeable signs of fatigue. 

The rising senior from Catonsville, Md. has every reason to be exhausted, as the past 25 days have tested her mental and physical capabilities. Since mid-June, she’s traveled across the country to Eugene, Ore. to watch her older sister compete in the NCAA Track and Field Championships, flew back to the East Coast, and then came back the next week to compete in her first U.S. Olympic Trials, where she advanced to the second round in the women’s 800 meters, collecting a personal-best time of 2:01.21.  

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Whittaker then stayed in the Pacific Northwest and ran a US#2 time in the girls mile, 4:38.65, breaking the Brooks PR Invitational meet record of 4:39.42 by Ogden, Utah’s Sarah Feeny in 2014.

“Physically, I wasn’t feeling the best after running two rounds of the 800 last week,” Whittaker said.  “But I feel like all the adrenaline of these such exciting races…it’s not just a high school meet, it's such good competition (and) I feel like that excitement and that adrenaline was carrying me through.”

Whittaker, who hasn’t been involved in a competitive mile since the 2020 indoor season, showed no signs of rust, as she was able to stay with the lead pack of Mia Barnett of Crescenta Valley, Calif. and Riley Stewart of Cherry Creek, Colo. With a lap to go, Whittaker displayed her impressive speed to take the lead on the final lap and power down the straightaway to dip under 4:40, a goal of hers coming into the race. 

“During the race, I didn’t really know if I was going to get it (under 4:40), just cause we went out a bit slower,” Whittaker said "But I'm glad I was able to kick kind of strong and use that 800 speed and finish strong.”

Stewart, a junior, who was coming off an individual triple at her state meet last weekend where she won the 800 (2:09.6), 1,600 (4:45.96, state record) and 3,200 (10:31.45), put down a solid attempt at the victory, clocking 4:40.66 for second place and collecting big PR. Barnett was third in 4:42.

“I was a little tired ...but coming out here I just wanted to finish my season strong,” Riley said. “It is definitely the picture-perfect ending to my season.” 

In a stacked 400-meter event, Kennedi Sanders said she really didn’t have a race plan. Turns out she really didn’t need one. The standout rising senior from Madison-Ridgeland Academy MS went out from the gun and crossed the line first in a personal-best and US#1 time of 52.62.

“I knew that these girls are going to go, so you better go with them,” she said of her race execution. 

Sanders’ time tied the meet record set in 2019 by Ziyah Holman of Georgetown Day School, in Wash., D.C. 

“I’m always excited to do a PR and do my best; I'm very happy for that,” she said. 

Roisin Willis of Stevens Point, Wis., who like Whittaker, was entering the meet fresh off the Olympic Trials 800-meters -- also running in two rounds -- was able to push past the craziness of this month and produce a personal-best in the 400, clocking a US#2 time of 52.64, to finish in second place. 

“My goal was to run more of a smarter race,” Willis said. “I was  bit nervous that this whole week has been so hectic, that trying to show up against a really good field would be really tough today, but I executed my race plan perfectly and i just had fun out there and that's all that mattered.”

Kayla Davis of Run U Xpress, NC, who has been battling an injury, finished in third place (53.06).

In the 100 hurdles, it was a battle of Florida’s best as Eddiyah Frye of St. Thomas Aquinas took the win in 13,35, beating out fellow in-state competitors, Dunbar’s Lucheyona Weaver (13.55, second) and Amanda Kinloch of North Miami (13.67, third).

“The plan as just to go out and have fun and execute,” Frye said. “I just wanted to come here and enjoy my time.”

The 100-meter dash was won by Bullis MD senior Victoria Perrow in a US#5 time of 11.67. 

Freshman middle-distance phenom Ali Ince of Community, Ill. picked up the victory and PR in the girls 800 (2:03.98), with Stanford-bound Audrey DaDamio starting the meet off with a US#1 tine in the 2-mile of 10:02.88.