2016 adidas BOOST Boston GamesJun 18, 2016 by Taylor Dutch
High School Junior Kate Murphy Runs 4:07, Qualifies For Olympic Trials
High School Junior Kate Murphy Runs 4:07, Qualifies For Olympic Trials
BOSTON — Kate Murphy was on a mission to run the Olympic Trials qualifying standard of 4:09.5 Friday at Dilboy Stadium. She accomplished that and more when
BOSTON — Kate Murphy was on a mission to run the Olympic Trials qualifying standard of 4:09.5 Friday at Dilboy Stadium. She accomplished that and more when she broke away from the pack to win the adidas Dream 1500m in 4:07.21, two seconds below the Trials standard, and a full seven seconds ahead of Oregon commit Katie Rainsberger.
“It feels amazing, I’ve been really patient over this whole season and I feel like it really came together,” Murphy told FloTrack after the adidas BOOST Boston Games race.
“I had two weeks of no races, got my legs fresh and I think all this patience and hard work has really paid off,” she said.
Murphy’s victory makes her the No. 3 high school performer of all time and puts her within a second of the Olympic Games qualifying standard. The performance was also a full second faster than the pro women’s race that followed. Only Mary Cain and Alexa Efraimson ran faster times while in high school and both turned pro after their junior years.
The Virginia-based junior from Lake Braddock High School also improved upon her previous personal best by over seven seconds.
“I knew this was one of my last shots at getting it [the Trials standard], and I just knew I had to be really brave,” Murphy said.
She went with the pacer from the gun and hung close to her through 800m until she started to take charge and even passed the pacer before she was scheduled to drop off.
All the while, Rainsberger was sitting on her heels. Murphy finally made her dramatic move just before the bell lap when she threw down a fast surge. By the time she crossed the finish line, Murphy was over 50m ahead of the rest of the pack and rode the momentum all the way through the tape.
As Murphy walked around the finish line, she eagerly asked everyone around her what her winning time was. When she heard the news of her victory being well under the Trials standard, Murphy was elated and grabbed her adidas Dream Mile championship belt to celebrate.
Murphy is the second high school athlete to notch a spot at the Trials after Christina Aragon of Billings, Montana ran 4:09 at the Portland Twilight last Sunday.
“It feels amazing, I’ve been really patient over this whole season and I feel like it really came together,” Murphy told FloTrack after the adidas BOOST Boston Games race.
“I had two weeks of no races, got my legs fresh and I think all this patience and hard work has really paid off,” she said.
Running 4:07 as a high school junior gets you a sick @adidasBoostBos belt! pic.twitter.com/BGxcMtIItc
— FloTrack (@FloTrack) June 17, 2016
Murphy’s victory makes her the No. 3 high school performer of all time and puts her within a second of the Olympic Games qualifying standard. The performance was also a full second faster than the pro women’s race that followed. Only Mary Cain and Alexa Efraimson ran faster times while in high school and both turned pro after their junior years.
The Virginia-based junior from Lake Braddock High School also improved upon her previous personal best by over seven seconds.
“I knew this was one of my last shots at getting it [the Trials standard], and I just knew I had to be really brave,” Murphy said.
She went with the pacer from the gun and hung close to her through 800m until she started to take charge and even passed the pacer before she was scheduled to drop off.
All the while, Rainsberger was sitting on her heels. Murphy finally made her dramatic move just before the bell lap when she threw down a fast surge. By the time she crossed the finish line, Murphy was over 50m ahead of the rest of the pack and rode the momentum all the way through the tape.
As Murphy walked around the finish line, she eagerly asked everyone around her what her winning time was. When she heard the news of her victory being well under the Trials standard, Murphy was elated and grabbed her adidas Dream Mile championship belt to celebrate.
Murphy is the second high school athlete to notch a spot at the Trials after Christina Aragon of Billings, Montana ran 4:09 at the Portland Twilight last Sunday.