Hiltz, Murphy win adidas Boost Boston Games road Mile
"Felt great to be able to close down the last 400, and finish with some confidence 4 weeks out from Trials."
WATERTOWN, Mass. - The 2021 adidas Boost Boston Games kicked off with middle distance action Sunday morning at Watertown outside the city center. The nation’s fastest high schoolers lined up in the Girls’ and Boys’ adidas Dream Mile having received their race invitations by pro adidas athletes via social media, while the pros took on the Mile and 600 meters.
The women’s Mile and the adidas Girls’ Dream Mile proved a perfect pairing of pro patron and high school athlete. On the out-and-back road course, 2019 winner Nikki Hiltz produced an impressive race with a two-second 4:31 victory over Rebecca Mehra, while Sophie Atkinson delivered a dominant Dream Mile win in 4:41.
On the men’s side, the race was a bit tighter. 2016 Olympic 800m bronze medalist Clayton Murphy kicked late to take the Mile victory in 4:01 by less than 0.2, edging Sam Prakel and Eric Avila, also timed in 4:01. Post-race on Instagram, Murphy: "Felt great to be able to close down the last 400, and finish with some confidence 4 weeks out from Trials."
In the Boys’ adidas Dream Mile Reinhardt Harrison was setting the pace for most of the race but couldn’t respond to Ethan Strand’s attack over the final quarter Mile, with Strand crowned the champion in 4:10.
Over the shorter distances, Jamaica’s Natoya Goule delivered a 600m pacing masterclass to outsprint 800m World bronze medalist Ajee’ Wilson for the win in 1:24, while Canada’s Marco Arop produced a dominant gun-to-tape victory in the men’s race, stopping the clock at 1:15.
Photo Credit: Kevin Morris
