Hedengren bashes another high school Mile record
Nauman, Tostenson go sub-4 in thrilling boys race
By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor
ST. LOUIS - Jane Hedegren continued to cement her legacy as the fastest high school girls distance runner in U.S. history on Thursday night at the HOKA Festival of Miles.
The graduate of Timpeview High in Utah ran a time of 4:23.50 and defeated her competition in the championship girls Mile by 12 seconds in a cool, still, overcast conditions that were ideal for fast races on the track at St. Louis University High School.
She broke the high school outdoor record by nearly five seconds. She ran nearly two seconds faster than any collegiate woman has run the Mile outdoors. The time is also a U.S. U20 record and #3 on the all-time World U20 list; also, setting state (Missouri and Utah) and world single age (18) records.
"I'm really stoked with it," Hedengren said. "In these races I'm trying to hit maximum effort and I've found that allows me to run the best time on the day. I'm just grateful for my body and the gift this is."
Hedengren ran six seconds faster than the professional women's race that followed, which was won by Christina Aragon of the Swoosh TC. Aragon outsprinted Krissy Gear of HOKA to break the tape in 4:29.38.
Even Aragon was impressed by the teenager.
"That's absolutely incredible," Aragon said of the Hedengren's race. "It's obviously unheard of. It's the first of its kind. She's running absolutely incredibly. I'm very excited to see what she does on the collegiate stage and the pro stage."
California state champion Hanne Thomsen of Santa Rosa was second, running #9 HS all-time 4:35.63, indoor or outdoor.
A competitive boys championship race produced two sub-4s, with Iowa state champion Quentin Nauman closing in 54.7 to edge Oregon's Josiah Tostenson, who split 55.8 for his final 440 yards.
Nauman, completed an historic triple (800-1600-3200) at the Iowa state meet two weeks ago, broke Connor Burns' junior class national record with a finish time of 3:58.65 (#30 U.S. prep sub-4, and #25 since the launch of Bring Back the Mile). Tostenson, who finished in an outdoor best 3:59.00, went through commencement ceremonies at Crater High in Oregon on Wednesday night, along with teammate Tayvon Kitchen, who delivered the valedictorian speech.
Tostenson and Kitchen were on a 5:00am flight and traveled much of the day ahead of the race.
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NOTE: Both high school races were paced by a non-HS runner.
