Natalie Cook shattered the HS 5000m record
Addy Wiley shattered the HS 1600m record
Natalie Cook shattered the HS 5000m record
Addy Wiley shattered the HS 1600m record
I would add Juliette Whittaker's name to the mix. She may may not have blown up any records like Cook and Wiley did but shes been consistently amazing and unbeatable all season and her range is insane. Cooks season started superhuman and fizzled out a bit at the end while Wiley's season really took off starting at her state championship meet where she went crazy before shocking everyone in the country with that 1600 run and then taking the 800 title in Eugene today. Before that she was running in the 440s and 450s and she got beat consistently during indoors. Pretty sure the award isnt about one big single accomplishment. Its body of work. Plus its extra hard to win both the Cross Country and Track awards in the same year. That being said if Cook had finished the season running at Brooks and had laid down a 9:40 or something all bets would be off...
Will only had one great race.
Cook ran 5k 15:25 plus did great in the 3200 and in the 1600/mile several times.
Cook would get my vote.
I agree with you on Whittaker. She won every major race she was in and ran fast times. Some of the best girls will still be at Juniors this coming weekend. Let's see who shines.
Amanda Moll has to be in the conversation too. I don't think any other sprinters, distance runners or field eventers are at the same level as the 4 mentioned in this thread.
The 1.6 k is a non event and no one worth anything cares about it.
I don't like the distance but it remains that it is the distance that 90% of high schoolers run. The implements are not the same weight as in the Olympics either.
Actually its the most logical event over 800m. Just 4 equally long laps. not 12.5 laps or 7.5 laps and it is definitely superior to 3.75 laps. That event truly is bizarre.
It is a tough call but on balance I would go with Whittaker. Sub 2:00 and wins in Brooks PR and New Balance Nationals Indoor miles. Cook's 9:44 2 mile was very good but imho "only" equal to or inferior to Tuohy's 9:01. Agree if Cook had run 9:40 or 4:35 maybe the answer is different. It is scary that Willis running 2:00.03 isn't in conversation (to say nothing of Engelhardt, Frias, et al).
If you ask professional 5000 runners which of those two talents they’d choose to be a future 5000 contender, I truly think they choose Wiley. She’s got a lot more upside given her superior speed.
The thing is....this year was so absurd that all of these girls are deserving of this prestigious award. Unfortunately they will have to pick only 1 but these girls all deserve it.
I guess Mu has the most 5k potential of any American because she is faster in the 400 and 800. Saying someone has more potential in the 5k than a person who is faster at at makes no sense.
well now you definitely need to add Whittaker's name to this list. And this may have sealed it for her frankly. Although Wiley will be a teammate at the U20s running the 1500 there after winning in Eugene as well.
Natalie Cook's season has been going downhill already, Whittaker on the other hand is rising through the ranks, and she will represent the country at the U20 worlds.
Whittaker should get it. However, Wiley not only won the U20 1500, but she beat a very good collegiate runner, Mia Barnett, by over five seconds- 4:15.53 to 4:20.86.
I think Barnett hit the college freshman wall. Ran the same time here as when she was 20th at regionals.
I'd go with Whittaker.
How do you choose between Whittaker 1:59.04, Wiley 4:26 and Cook 15:25?
Let me put it this way. If a HIGH SCHOOL girl runs faster than the NCAA COLLEGE championship meet record, don't you think that is extremely impressive?
Whittaker is the only 1 of the 3 who did that.
So my vote would go to Whittaker.
according to fast women Mia hasn’t run much in weeks due to her fathers near death. She’s made the u-20 team and at regionals she got tripped up. Wiley looks amazing. Can’t wait to see her next month.
Thanks for the info. Hope her father is feeling better.
Whittaker is the winner
Wiley's 1500m is inferior to Sadie's 4:11.69. As a freshman!