Kaitlyn Estep of Without Limits Triangle and Cary Christian has long proven to be a rising star of North Carolina distance running and this year she has proven she's a current star regardless of grade across the state.
The 8th grader has been dominant at the middle school level this season just as she was last year, but has also placed herself amongst the top overall distance runners in North Carolina. She won both the Mile and 3200m at the All American Track Classic in Columbia, SC beating strong HS fields and holds a season best of 4:52 for the 1600m, which would rank her 7th amongst high school competition.
In 2023, Estep swept the distance events at NCRunners Middle School All-State running 5:04.51, 2:18.48 and 11:23.95 as a 7th grader. Last Friday, she'd be back to do the same, but looking to better her meet records she set in the previous year.
She'd have some strong competition behind her and would lead the top 7 girls under 5:15 and take the individual win in 4:59.68. 6th grader Athena Pluchos of Union Academy would place 2nd in 5:07.34 just off her season best of 5:06 from the Carolina Distance Carnival a few weeks prior.
| PLACE | VIDEO | ATHLETE | TEAM | MARK | WIND | HEAT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Kaitlyn Estep | 8 | Without Limits Triangle | 4:59.68 | 1 | ||
| 2 |  Athena PLUCHOS | 6 | Union Academy | 5:07.34 | 1 | ||
| 3 |  Grace Short | 8 | Charlotte Latin | 5:11.09 | 1 | ||
| 4 |  Elle Dawson | 8 | High Point Blaze | 5:12.61 | 1 | ||
| 5 | Ella McCall | 8 | Without Limits Triangle | 5:13.07 | 1 | ||
| 6 |  Hope Julian | 8 | Unattached NC | 5:13.72 | 1 | ||
| 7 |  Colby MCCOLLUM | 8 | Cuthbertson MS | 5:14.96 | 1 |
Estep would double back to break her meet record narrowly in the 800m running 2:18.02. Pluchos would hold off Elle Dawson of High Point Blaze and Kristen Nohr or SouthLake Christian Academy for 2nd in 2:23.30.
| PLACE | VIDEO | ATHLETE | TEAM | MARK | WIND | HEAT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaitlyn Estep | 8 | Without Limits Triangle | 2:18.03 | 1 | ||
| 2 | Athena PLUCHOS | 6 | Union Academy | 2:23.30 | 1 | ||
| 3 | Elle Dawson | 8 | High Point Blaze | 2:24.15 | 1 | ||
| 4 |  Kristen Nohr | 8 | SouthLake Christian Academy | 2:25.04 | 1 | ||
| 5 | Jalyn Alexander | 7 | Unattached NC | 2:25.16 | 1 |
Estep's 3200m season best is 10:39.18 making her a heavy favorite in what ultimately might be her best event. Despite how strong Estep has been over her MS career, that didn't worry Grace Short of Charlotte Latin who ran 5:11 in the 1600m for 3rd place and didn't run the 800m. She'd stick with Estep all the way until she'd pull away over the final lap to win in 11:08 to Short's 11:12, good for a 8 second personal best! Estep now has won the 3200m all three years running 11:34 as a 6th grader and 11:23 as a 7th grader.
Overall, that gives Estep 7 individual wins over her middle school career at the event. She took 4th in the 1600m in 6th grade running 5:23 in her only loss ever at the event. She's certainly on pace to do much greater things than all that she's accomplished at the middle school level, but it's going to be hard for anyone to rival her accomplishments over the last three years.
On the same note, Pluchos is just in 6th grade and has seen the bar get set this year by Estep. Could she rival the marks Estep has thrown down this year over the next year track seasons?