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At the 2022 Carolina Distance Carnival we saw a state record go down in the boy's 1,600m! This year the 800m state record is once again at threat on the girl's side of action.
Headlined by the Cuthbertson quartet, this 800m has potential to be the fastest in state history, and can get multiple athletes under 2:10.
Yesterday at the Union County Championships, Charlotte Bell dropped a new NC No. 1 time, 2:09.42. It was her first open 800m of the season. The Preisano sisters, Justine and Alyssa went 2-3 at Union County in the 800m, respectively. In fact, Justine, a recent NC State commit, is NC No. 2 on the year behind Bell. Older sister Alyssa is No. 7 this year, but she is a former NCHSAA 800m state champion in her own right.
Stella Kermes was runner-up in both the 1,000m and 1,600m at the indoor state meet, and she has yet to run a 800m this season. Her 2022 best in the event is 2:14.17.
The rest of the field isn't there to watch Cuthbertson, however, they're there to race.
Current NC No. 3 and No. 4 are both in the field. Caroline Echols (RJ Reynolds) clocked 2:12.87 last weekend at the Scott Brent Invitational, proving her fitness at this point. She was all-state in the 1,000m during indoor season, and was 3rd in the 800m at the 2022 NCHSAA 4A Outdoor state meet.
NCISAA standout Annie Miller has been on a tear to start the season. She has clocked 2:13.95/5:00.36 for the 800m/1,600m this season, both topping the NCISAA.
The time they're chasing? 2:06.66 set in 2006. Many amazing 800m athletes have tried to take down the record, but will this finally be the moment we've been waiting over 15 years for?
On the boy's side Andrew Burrell is looking to break the Mount Tabor school record of 1:52.40 from 2002. Burrell has a best of 1:54.88, which was NC No. 7 last season. During indoor season, Burrell was runner-up in the 1,000m. So far this outdoor season, Burrell is undefeated. He and his teammates are fresh off a 7:45 4x800m performance Thursday.
Coming down from Blacksburg, Virginia is senior Eli Sterling. Sterling has a personal best of 1:54.95 in his own right, and clocked 2:29.46 in the 1,000m this indoor season.
However, we need to keep an eye on Adrien Jacobs (Durham School of the Arts). He has broken 1:56.00 twice this season, and has topped out at 1:54.98. What is most impressive about these times is that they have all come after running sub 50.00 in the open 400m. The defending indoor 500m state champion will get a crack at the 800m on Saturday for the first time with completely fresh legs. Could this be the superstar breakout performance that has the state and country buzzing after this weekend? Could this field creep down to the 1:50.00/1:51.00 range? Or better?!