Sasha Neglia (Dobyns Bennett, TN) and Carmen Alder (Pinecrest) lead the charge in the girls Mile as sub-5 minute harriers. Neglia has run 4:49 for the 1600m and was 15th at Nike Cross Nationals last fall. Alder ran 4:56 for the 1600m last spring and holds an indoor best of 5:04.18 in the full mile with a sit and kick mentality taking the win at the VA Showcase. They'll have Sophie Faircloth (Reagan) and Cora Cooke (Myers Park) also pushing the pace up front. Faircloth took the win last year in 5:07.83 and ran 5:02 to win the 4A Indoor title last winter. Cooke is fresh off a 1000m PR of 2:59.45 at the VA Showcase and holds a Mile best of 5:06 from last outdoor season.
Jonna Strange (North Iredell) is coming off a strong performance at the VA Showcase running 5:08.57 for the Mile and a US#5 10:49.45 for the 2 Mile. She's in the best shape of her career and we could see a breakthrough once again against a strong Mile field. Jenna Hutchins (Science Hill, TN) holds a middle school 1600m best of 5:07.85, but finished 9th at Foot Locker Nationals this season. Hutchins beat Alder back in November in the Dash For Doobie 3200m clocking a 10:26.87. She's certainly a star and will be in contention for the win this weekend in her high school indoor debut.
On the boys side we have defending champion Anton Idhammar (Cary) set to square off with Hugh Brittenham (Estero, FL). Idhammar ran 4:14.37 for the Mile last week, NC#10 All-Time Indoors and .19 seconds off Bakri Abushok's school record at Cary. Brittenham returns with a 1600m PR of 4:09 from last season as he looked to kick off his 2019 campaign. The field will also hold Kyle Harkabus (East Coweta, GA) who holds a 4:14.39 Mile PR from last track season. This will also be his indoor debut.
Beyond that the field is stacked with athletes set to run a fast time in a loaded field. Jason Thomson (North Lincoln), Tim Haughton (Apex Friendship) and Nickolas Scudder (Millbrook) has each run 4:20 for the 1600m this season as they'll look to take down that barrier. You also have Kyle Durham (Weddington) who holds PRs of 1:53.98 and 4:16.80 who will be against his first big field of the indoor season. Last year Idhammar emerged in this race as North Carolina's next distance star. Can we see the same thing from someone else tomorrow?
#25 Invite Mile Run Performance List Athlete Team Seed 1 Neglia, Sasha Unattached 4:55.30 2 Alder, Carmen Pinecrest 4:59.70 3 Faircloth, Sophie Reagan 5:04.70 4 Cooke, Cora Myers Park 5:07.60 5 Strange, Jonna North Iredell 5:08.60 6 Wilcox, Landri Unattached 5:10.00 7 Hill , Madeline Cuthbertson 5:10.60 8 Helms , Leah Cuthbertson 5:12.10 9 Cooper, Ainsley Reagan 5:13.50 10 Muehleman, Isabel Unattached 5:14.20 11 Hutchins, Jenna Unattached 5:14.60 12 McCormick, Maggie Harnett Central 5:15.70 13 Ellsworth, Grace Unattached 5:15.70 #26 Invite Mile Run Performance List Athlete Team Seed 1 Idhammar, Anton Cary 4:14.40 2 Brittenham, Hugh Unattached 4:15.00 3 Harkabus, Kyle Unattached 4:18.00 4 Thomson, Jason North Lincoln 4:21.60 5 Haughton, Tim Apex Friendship 4:21.70 6 Scudder, Nickolas Millbrook 4:22.50 7 Hughes, Zach First Flight 4:25.23 8 Roberts, Coen Unattached 4:25.30 9 Atkinson, Stephen Cary 4:26.50 10 Durham, Kyle Weddington 4:26.50 11 Owens, Dolan Unattached 4:26.50 12 Thompson, Nick Unattached 4:26.50 13 Stamper, Kyle Cuthbertson 4:26.66