Gold And Silver Medalists From 2016 Express Confidence That Whittaker and Willis Have What It Takes For Success In Colombia

By Mary Albl of DyeStat 

It was six years ago when the world stopped for a brief moment for Sammy Watson and Aaliyah Miller.

On July 21, 2016 at the World Athletics Under-20 Outdoor Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, the teenagers made history for the United States capturing gold and silver in the women’s 800 meters.

It remains the only time in the history of the meet (which began in 1986) the American women have gone 1-2 in any distance event.

“It was really amazing to see Sammy win and then me come back and get second,” Miller recalled. “It was a surreal feeling and it felt like the U.S. was on top of the world. I remember hearing my teammates from the U.S. doing all the chants. It’s like the world stops for a moment and you just really want to soak in all of that, especially holding up the flag for the first time. It was just amazing”

This year, the duo of Juliette Whittaker and Roisin Willis have an opportunity to follow in the steps of Watson and Miller. The tandem will represent the U.S. in the women’s 800 at the World U20 Championships (August 1-6) in Cali., Colombia. The first round is set for Monday, Aug. 1. 

“It means a ton, especially after Sammy and Aaliyah had done that a few years ago,” Whittaker said of the opportunity. “Obviously Roisin and I have a good chance to do the same thing, so I feel like to be in that same legacy, and the history of the U.S. at Worlds, we’d be doing a lot to contribute to that.”

Prior to catapulting themselves as the top two U20 middle distance runners in the world back in 2016, Watson, a rising senior from Rush-Henrietta in New York and Miller, a prep sensation from McKinney, Texas set to attend Baylor, had already established themselves as a formidable 1-2 punch in the U.S. Their paths had crossed on the summer track circuit, but once they qualified for worlds, the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity created a unique connection. 

“That was really special because me and Aaliyah had been racing each other for probably like three years doing summer track, Junior Olympics,” Watson said. “So it was nice to be on the team with her, spend time with her, and really get to know her and know we were racing more as teammates than as competitors. So that made it easier, especially dealing with nerves at such a big meet and knowing I had someone to warm up with and someone to strategize with. 

Whittaker and Willis share a similar journey. Whittaker, from Mount de Sales in Maryland, and Willis from Stevens Point, Wis., faced one another for the first time during the 2020 indoor season in the Millrose Games High School Mile. From there, they raced each other on multiple occasions on national stages, and enjoyed individual successes and a deepening friendship.

In 2021, Willis and Whittaker teamed up to break the World U20 girls 4x800 relay record (8:37.20). They experienced their first U.S. Olympic Trials last summer, both advancing to the semifinal round of the women's 800 meters. Colombia will be another opportunity to become closer, despite competing for the same goal. 

“We both have so much respect for each other and we’re just such good friends and we like to have fun and goof around,” Willis said. “But it definitely is an interesting dynamic having to race someone you’re so close with, but at the end of the day we’re both happy for each other and it’s been just so great having her these last couple years and to be on a team with her now is going to be incredible.” 

Whittaker enters the meet with the fastest time in the field. On June 26, she broke Mary Cain’s national high school record of 1:59.51 at the USATF U20 Championships at Hayward Field, when she clocked 1:59.04. Willis was right behind in 2:00.32, No.3 all-time. The last two prep seasons the pair have finished with the fastest 800 times in the country. 

“I think me and Juliette are really focused on claiming those top two spots and that would be incredible if we did that,” Willis said. 

Just like Miller and Watson did, in order to qualify for the final Wednesday, Aug. 3, the pair will have to navigate two rounds of the 800, something they’ve only experienced once, in the Olympic Trials.

Looking back at her own experience with the daunting task of running the rounds, Miller said she didn’t overthink it. 

“I was actually thinking about that the other day. Now I kind of freak out at having three rounds and you know, little 17-year old me didn’t even think twice,” Miller said. “‘Oh, three rounds, no problem.’ I tripled a lot in high school during the season running the 400, 800, 4x400, but once it came time for the Olympic Trials, I was like, I only have to run one race? I think unintentionally I was preparing for the rounds in high school. When it came time to run rounds, it was one race to do today, this is so doable. That mindset definitely switched. I just started with one race a day and was seeing where that was going to take me.”

Watson ran one year at Texas A&M before turning professional and representing adidas. She said it's important not to take any round for granted.  

“I think when you go with a relaxed mindset that, ‘Oh, it will be easy’ that’s when people can surprise you and sneak up on you,” Watson said. “And you might not be able to respond to those moves, so I run every round (like) it could be my last round, or my only round, and just having that type of focus. It might be easy but your intent matters throughout the entire race.”

Miller echoed those sentiments.

“They’ve been running world-class times, and I feel like they already know how to race hard and take advantage of each round because you never know if you can make it to the next round, so you have to run it kind of like a final,” Miller said. “But I feel like they are pretty smart and they know those little things and are very prepared. I watched Juliette race in Eugene and it was really amazing to witness. It was so crazy, them and then the rest of the field. It was awesome.”

Whittaker and Willis said the experience they gained at the Olympic Trials has helped them prepare for Cali. 

“I think honestly the biggest thing I took away from the Trials was to always step up to the line, whether Athing Mu is in the race or Roisin is in the race, whoever it may be, just step up to that line with a sense of ‘I belong here, I worked hard for this,’” Whittaker said. “The takeaway is not worrying who is in the race, but trusting in myself and what I can do.

Willis and Whittaker, who will both attend Stanford this fall, will race in their first international field, which includes future Cardinal teammate Nicola Hogg of Sydney, Australia. 

“Going to an international competition and it being Worlds is such an incredible opportunity,” Willis said. “Watching Worlds in Eugene and knowing that a lot of these pro athletes kind of grew up going to these meets, it’s really cool to have that opportunity.”

Both have goals of running fast times. Willis, who’s come oh-so-close to breaking the 2-minute barrier, said she feels she’s in her best shape going into August. Whittaker would love to go under 1:59. Whatever happens, the pair are in prime position to add onto the U.S. middle distance legacy.

“I think it's a huge deal,” Watson said of Willis and Whittaker’s opportunity to reach the podium. “I know the U.S. is stacked talent wise, but it takes so much work to medal or even make a final or second round of the 800 at a world meet. So I think being able to get through the rounds and finish in the top three, it shows that you’re smart, that you have good race tactics and that you know what’s going on. And it shows that you’re fit. I think it's cool because the 800 is hard to get through. Juliette and Roisin have already run so well, so I know they can do it. They seem capable. They’ve already run in pro races before so they know what the competition is like. I think they are very well equipped to run well.”