2017 Virginia ShowcaseJan 12, 2017 by Meg Bellino
Top 5 Events To Watch At The Virginia Showcase
Top 5 Events To Watch At The Virginia Showcase
The Virginia Showcase will be LIVE on FloTrack this Friday and Saturday. The event will feature not only some of the East Coast's best prep stars but also several of the country's top talents.
The Virginia Showcase will be LIVE on FloTrack this Friday and Saturday. The event features not only some of the East Coast's best prep stars but also several of the country's top talents. If you're looking for the best races of the weekend, look no further than this guide to the Virginia Showcase.
Girls 300m
Who: Jayla Kirkland, Lynna Irby
When: Friday, Jan. 13, 6:20 PM ET
Why: Kirkland and Irby are two of the fastest high school seniors in the country. Kirkland won New Balance Nationals Outdoor and USATF Jr. titles in 2016 before suffering an injury at the IAAF World U20 Championships. The future Florida State Seminole is currently leading the U.S. in the 60m with her 7.48 mark set at the Holiday Invitational on December 10. Irby, a University of Georgia commit, specializes in the 400m. She earned the silver medal at the IAAF World U20 Championships this summer with a 51.39 personal best. The 300m is an off event, so these speedsters should be evenly matched on Friday evening.
Boys 300m
Who: Tyrese Cooper, Micaiah Harris
When: Friday, Jan. 13, 6:35 PM ET
Why: Cooper could be the future of U.S. track and field, and Friday marks his 2017 debut. As a high school freshman in 2016, Cooper put up marks that preps would dream to run: 10.36 in the 100m, 20.46 (+2.2) in the 200m, and 45.23 in the 400m. Harris was runner-up in the 200m at USATF Jrs last summer and advanced to the World U20 semifinal. His personal best of 20.77 isn't as impressive as Cooper's, but Harris has more much experience racing indoors, which could carry him through on Friday.
Watch Cooper anchor the 4x400m relay at Flo Golden South in 45.7:
Girls 4x200m Relay
Who: St. Jago (Jamaica), Western Branch, Grassfield, Bullis School
When: Saturday, Jan. 14, 1 PM ET
Why: St. Jago, a Jamaican high school that regularly rules the Penn Relays, will send a 4x200m relay to Virginia. Could a team with this much speed help propel the U.S.'s top-ranked team from Western Branch to the high school national record? Western Branch ran 1:37.50 on December 29 at the Marine Corps Holiday Classic. The record of 1:35.86 set by Long Beach Poly in 2003 is steep but not out of the question with a team like St. Jago in the mix.
Girls 1000m
Who: Sammy Watson, Kate Murphy, Rachel McArthur
When: Saturday, Jan. 14, 2:15 PM ET
Why: The high school national record of 2:43.40 set by Sarah (Bowman) Brown in 2005 is in danger, as Sammy Watson, Kate Murphy, and Rachel McArthur toe the line on Saturday. Watson is coming off a big triple at the Dartmouth Relays (55.76 400m, 4:59 mile, 2:09 relay split), while Murphy made history with her 9:14.12 3K set on Staten Island last weekend. These two seniors rank No. 2 and No. 3 on the all-time list with Watson's 2:45.32 performance and Murphy's 2:45.36 mark set in 2016, but they've since improved greatly across the board. Watson brings 52-second 400m speed and 2:02 800m endurance, while Murphy has wheels of her own with a 2:06 800m and 4:07 1500m but also holds a 9:10 3K best. This will be the race of the weekend.
Related: Do You Need Strength Or Speed To Become All-Time Great In The 1K?
Watch Murphy become the No. 3 prep indoor performer of all time:
Boys 800m
Who: Brandon McGorty
When: Saturday, Jan. 14, 2:22 PM ET
Why: McGorty ran 1:48 outdoors last spring to win the Dogwood Classic against Alex Lomong and Drew Hunter. What will McGorty run indoors this year? He's currently leading the U.S. with his 2:26.87 1000m mark, his second-fastest time ever, and has run 1:51 three times in his indoor career. He may not have anyone around him, so it'll be a race against the clock to see if McGorty can run faster than Cameron Cooper's U.S. #1 1:52.89.
Watch the Dogwood Classic 800m here:
Girls 300m
Who: Jayla Kirkland, Lynna Irby
When: Friday, Jan. 13, 6:20 PM ET
Why: Kirkland and Irby are two of the fastest high school seniors in the country. Kirkland won New Balance Nationals Outdoor and USATF Jr. titles in 2016 before suffering an injury at the IAAF World U20 Championships. The future Florida State Seminole is currently leading the U.S. in the 60m with her 7.48 mark set at the Holiday Invitational on December 10. Irby, a University of Georgia commit, specializes in the 400m. She earned the silver medal at the IAAF World U20 Championships this summer with a 51.39 personal best. The 300m is an off event, so these speedsters should be evenly matched on Friday evening.
Boys 300m
Who: Tyrese Cooper, Micaiah Harris
When: Friday, Jan. 13, 6:35 PM ET
Why: Cooper could be the future of U.S. track and field, and Friday marks his 2017 debut. As a high school freshman in 2016, Cooper put up marks that preps would dream to run: 10.36 in the 100m, 20.46 (+2.2) in the 200m, and 45.23 in the 400m. Harris was runner-up in the 200m at USATF Jrs last summer and advanced to the World U20 semifinal. His personal best of 20.77 isn't as impressive as Cooper's, but Harris has more much experience racing indoors, which could carry him through on Friday.
Watch Cooper anchor the 4x400m relay at Flo Golden South in 45.7:
Girls 4x200m Relay
Who: St. Jago (Jamaica), Western Branch, Grassfield, Bullis School
When: Saturday, Jan. 14, 1 PM ET
Why: St. Jago, a Jamaican high school that regularly rules the Penn Relays, will send a 4x200m relay to Virginia. Could a team with this much speed help propel the U.S.'s top-ranked team from Western Branch to the high school national record? Western Branch ran 1:37.50 on December 29 at the Marine Corps Holiday Classic. The record of 1:35.86 set by Long Beach Poly in 2003 is steep but not out of the question with a team like St. Jago in the mix.
Girls 1000m
Who: Sammy Watson, Kate Murphy, Rachel McArthur
When: Saturday, Jan. 14, 2:15 PM ET
Why: The high school national record of 2:43.40 set by Sarah (Bowman) Brown in 2005 is in danger, as Sammy Watson, Kate Murphy, and Rachel McArthur toe the line on Saturday. Watson is coming off a big triple at the Dartmouth Relays (55.76 400m, 4:59 mile, 2:09 relay split), while Murphy made history with her 9:14.12 3K set on Staten Island last weekend. These two seniors rank No. 2 and No. 3 on the all-time list with Watson's 2:45.32 performance and Murphy's 2:45.36 mark set in 2016, but they've since improved greatly across the board. Watson brings 52-second 400m speed and 2:02 800m endurance, while Murphy has wheels of her own with a 2:06 800m and 4:07 1500m but also holds a 9:10 3K best. This will be the race of the weekend.
Related: Do You Need Strength Or Speed To Become All-Time Great In The 1K?
Watch Murphy become the No. 3 prep indoor performer of all time:
Boys 800m
Who: Brandon McGorty
When: Saturday, Jan. 14, 2:22 PM ET
Why: McGorty ran 1:48 outdoors last spring to win the Dogwood Classic against Alex Lomong and Drew Hunter. What will McGorty run indoors this year? He's currently leading the U.S. with his 2:26.87 1000m mark, his second-fastest time ever, and has run 1:51 three times in his indoor career. He may not have anyone around him, so it'll be a race against the clock to see if McGorty can run faster than Cameron Cooper's U.S. #1 1:52.89.
Watch the Dogwood Classic 800m here: