Steiner has sights set on surpassing Hayes’ 2017 American record 35.71, eclipsing global standard of 35.45 shared by Miller-Uibo (2018) and Privalova (1993) in debut at event

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Abby Steiner made a huge impact in her only career 300-meter race at Kentucky to eclipse a 40-year-old collegiate indoor record.

After nearly 14 months, Steiner is expected to return to the event Saturday at the 115th Millrose Games at The Armory in New York, with the first-year PUMA professional athlete looking to take down a world all-time best that has stood for 30 years and become the first American female competitor ever to hold the record in her debut appearance at the event.

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“I’m just looking forward to going to New York. It’s fun, I love the energy there,” Steiner said. “I’m really excited to run at Millrose, I know the energy is going to be great.”

Russian standout Irina Privalova produced the indoor 300 standard of 35.45 seconds in 1993 in Moscow, which was equaled at the 2018 Millrose Games by Bahamian star Shaunae Miller-Uibo.

Steiner ran 35.80 in December 2021 at Louisville to surpass the 1981 collegiate indoor record of 35.83 achieved by Nebraska graduate and Jamaica legend Merlene Ottey at the AIAW Indoor Championships in Pocatello, Idaho.

Although Steiner ran a total of 57 races in 2021-22, including an American indoor record in the 200 meters, a U.S. outdoor title in the 200 and World Athletics Championships gold medals in the 4x100 and 4x400, she didn’t have another opportunity to compete in the 300.

But Steiner, the No. 6 all-time indoor 300 performer, will be looking forward Saturday to pursuing the 2017 American record of 35.71 achieved by Quanera Hayes at the Orange and Purple Indoor meet at Clemson, as well as the global all-time mark held by Privalova and Miller-Uibo.

“Oh my gosh, that’s all I’ve been thinking about at practices, ever since I knew I was going to run a 300,” Steiner said. “I’ve been itching to run a 300 again ever since my collegiate record run last year, so that’s definitely kind of been the honed-in goal for me this fall training and indoor season.”

Steiner ascended to No. 9 in U.S. indoor history in the 400 meters Jan. 28 at the Razorback Invitational with her 50.59 performance at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark. She ran the opening 200 in 23.24 seconds.

Steiner’s performance is the fastest by an American athlete this year and No. 2 in the world, trailing only Irish standout and Texas All-American Rhasidat Adeleke at 50.45.

“It’s crazy to think about considering it was my first 400 on a banked track ever,” Steiner said. “That gives me a lot of confidence and excitement about what’s to come.”

Steiner joined Privalova as the only female track athletes in the world to run 7.10 or faster in the 60-meter dash, 22.50 or better in the 200, sub-36 in the 300 and sub-51 in the 400 indoors, making her pursuit for global supremacy all the more fitting since the resumes of the two athletes are forever connected.

“I’ll always love indoor and I think it’s a great way to break up training,” Steiner said. “It’s just fun to get out there and compete again, and this is an opportunity that definitely gets me excited.”

Steiner is scheduled to race against fellow Americans Brittany Brown, who ranks as the No. 8 all-time indoor competitor at 35.95, along with Jenna Prandini at 36.68 and University of Albany’s Rori Lowe (39.12), in addition to Jamaica’s Leah Anderson (36.91).

Prandini and Steiner were teammates on the U.S. gold medal 4x100 relay quartet at the World Championships in July at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

There have been only 12 sub-36 performances in world indoor 300-meter history, including only two races that have produced a pair of sub-36 competitors, in 2019 and 2021 at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island.

There has not been a world indoor record or global all-time best achieved at The Millrose Games since Miller-Uibo’s 300 effort and the U.S. 4x800 relay quartet of Chrishuna Willams, Raevyn Rogers, Charlene Lipsey and Ajee’ Wilson clocking 8:05.89, both achieved in 2018.

“I’m excited, not only for my race, but there are so many stacked fields,” Steiner said. “It’s going to be fun to be surrounded by all of those athletes.”