Katelyn Tuohy Racing the Pros for the First Time, 4 x Mile World Record Attempt: 2019 Dr. Sander Invite Preview
By LetsRun.com
January 24, 2019
NEW YORK — The professional track and field season in New York City gets underway this weekend with the 2nd Annual Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge Saturday at the Armory, but if this meet is going to be remembered a year from now, it may be because of a high schooler.
Katelyn Tuohy, the North Rockland (N.Y.) High School star, will be racing the professionals for the first time and trying to break Mary Cain’s high school indoor 3000m record of 9:04.51. The all-time fastest indoor 3000 by a high school girl is Alexa Efraimson’s 9:00.16 from 2014, which came on an oversized track.
The field assembled to take on Tuohy is one that is not head and shoulders above her. If Tuohy runs well, she should be very competitive and more than have a shot at the record.
Below are the women in the field, along with their 3,000m PRs and recent races.
| Athlete | Affiliation | 3000 PR | Recent Races |
| Kampf, Heather | Asics | 8:51.27 | 4:51 road mile |
| Eccleston, Amanda | Brooks | 8:59.69 | 4:33 mile |
| Neale, Amy-Eloise | Reebok Boston | 9:01.96 | None |
| Fulton, Eleanor | USA | 9:02.84 |
9:02.84 3000 win
|
| Tuohy, Katelyn | High School | 9:05.26 | 4:39 mile |
| Bell, Rolanda | Hoka One One | 9:09 | |
| Kunc, Katy | Hoka One One | 9:17.60 | |
| Garry, Kira | Hoka One One | 9:20 |
Heather Kampf won this race two years ago in a quick 8:51, but she missed the entire 2018 track season with injury and is just getting going again. Amanda Eccleston just missed the 2016 Olympic team in the 1500 by .03 and has run a 4:33 mile indoors already this year, so we’re making her the favorite, but she’s a better miler than 3000 runner. Amy Eloise-Neale is a former NCAA runner-up in cross country, but this is her 2019 indoor debut. Eleanor Fulton is sharp and beat Shannon Rowbury in Rowbury’s return from pregnancy two weeks ago in Washington, but 9:02.84 is not out of Tuohy’s wheelhouse.
Tuohy herself has run a 4:39 mile this indoor season, which leaves her a bit behind Eccleston, but Tuohy was running all alone versus high schoolers and working on finishing hard. After her mile, she told lohud.com, “Today was all about getting a race in. My goal was consistent 35s (35-second laps) and working on my finishing speed.” If Tuohy wasn’t ready to take on the pros, she could easily skip this race. All indications are this is a big focus on her indoor season, so we expect her to be ready.
And don’t forget Tuohy, 16, is only a high school junior.
4 x Mile World Record Attempt Headlines the Pros + Ajee’ Wilson + Engels v Andrews v Gregorek at 1k
In terms of the pros, the headliner at the meet in the distances is American 800m star Ajee’ Wilson, who will be running the 600m against fellow US Olympian Chrishuna Williams. The top distance race on the men’s side looks to be the 1000m, where three of America’s best milers — Craig Engels, Robby Andrews, and Johnny Gregorek — will square off. The men’s 3000 (Ben Flanagan, Sam Parsons) and women’s 1,000 (Natoya Goule and Laura Roesler) should be pretty good as well.
And we also have another record attempt, and this one isn’t a high school or even collegiate or American record attempt, but a world record attempt. In the men’s 4 x mile relay, the Brooks Beasts team of Brannon Kidder (3:56.06 mile PR), David Ribich (3:58.09), Henry Wynne (3:55.23), and Izaic Yorks (3:53.4) will be racing the Hoka One One NJ*NY TC team of Jesse Garn (3:57.23), Travis Mahoney (3:58.08), Rob Napolitano (3:57.48), and Ryan Manahan (3:58.57).
They will be after the world record* of 16:12.81, which was set two years ago by NJ*NY.
*Since the IAAF doesn’t recognize an indoor 4 x mile world record, this will technically be a world best
Considering the Brooks team has faster PRs, is more race fit (Kidder ran 2:19 for 1000m, Wynne 7:52 for 3000m, Ribich 7:54, and Yorks 7:55 two weeks ago), and the Brooks PR guy is sending out releases on this race, we expect them to get the record.
We’ve listed the full fields for the top pro races below. The meet also will have our new favorite indoor event: the 4×200, with USA vs Jamaica.
The main pro portion of the meet is from noon to 2 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, with the 3000 at 1:16 and 4 x mile at 1:45. (A few pro events are on Friday, as are a ton of college events). The meet will be broadcast on NBC Sports Gold and USATF+, and LetsRun.com will be on-site Friday for the press conference and Saturday for the action. More info here. Key start lists below.
Women’s 600m: Ajee’ Wilson vs Fellow Olympian Chrishuna Williams
Event 30 Women 600 Meter Run Invitational (6) Finals
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Sat 1:36pm
Name Year School
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Section 1 Finals
1 163 Price, Madeline Canada
2 243 Kosichenko, Olga CPTC New Bal
3 283 Barowski, Cecilia Hoka One One
4 330 Williams, Chrishuna Nike
5 103 Wilson, Ajee adidas
6 470 Baker, Olivia USA
Other Events
Event 7 Women 1000 Meter Run Invitational (9) Finals
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Waterfall 7-9 outside, 1-6 inside
Fri 1/26 @ 11:42am
Name Year School
===============================================================================
Section 1 Finals
1 290 Schappert, Stephanie Hoka One One
2 308 Piccirillo, Angel Juventus
3 286 Iyevbele, Kenyetta Hoka One One
4 307 Cleirigh- Buttner, Siofra Ireland
5 248 Saunders, Claudia District Tra
6 328 Osika, Shannon Nike
7 329 Roesler, Laura Nike
8 102 Goule, Natoya adidas
9 330 Williams, Chrishuna Nike
Event 57 Women 1 Mile Run Invitational (12) Finals
===============================================================================
Sat 12:18pm
Watefall 9-12 Outside, 1-8 Inside
Name Year School
===============================================================================
Section 1 Finals
1 291 Wilson, Heather Hoka One One
2 241 Herrick, Stephanie CPTC New Bal
3 327 Farber, Lianne New Balance
4 490 Hutchinson, Nicole SR Villanova
5 375 Shields, Anna Point Park U
6 495 McArthur, Rachel SO Villanova
7 289 Morrissey, Jamie Hoka One One
8 282 Aragon, Dani Hoka One One
9 474 Paquette, Lauren USA
10 377 Nelson, Karisa Samford Univ
11 328 Osika, Shannon Nike
12 288 Mansy, Megan Hoka One One
Event 59 Women 3000 Meter Run Invitational (9) Finals
===============================================================================
Sat 1:16pm
Waterfall 7-9 Outside, 1-6 Inside
Name Year School
===============================================================================
Section 1 Finals
1 284 Bell, Rolanda Hoka One One 9:09
2 285 Garry, Kira Hoka One One
3 287 Kunc, Katy Hoka One One
4 376 Eloise- Neale, Amy Reebok Bosto
5 144 Kampf, Heather Asics
6 145 Eccleston, Amanda Brooks
7 471 Fulton, Eleanor USA
8 Tuohy, Katelyn NY NY
9 282 Aragon, Dani Hoka One One
Event 27 Women 4x200 Meter Relay Invitational (2) Finals
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Sat 1:28pm
School
===============================================================================
Section 1 Finals
4 USA 'A'
5 Jamaica 'A'
===============================================================================
Sat 12:08pm
Name Year School
===============================================================================
Section 1 Finals
2 875 Page, Champ USA
3 748 Gray, Nick SR Ohio State
4 734 Chambers, Marcus Nike
5 736 Dukes, Dedric Nike
6 876 Wright, Dontavius USA
Event 31 Men 600 Meter Run Invitational (6) Finals
===============================================================================
Sat 1:32pm
Name Year School
===============================================================================
Section 1 Finals
1 869 Perezchica, Andres USA
2 660 Ibadin, Edose District Tra
3 527 Robinson, Byron adidas
4 735 Cherry, Michael Nike
5 737 Sowinski, Erik Nike
6 692 Giesting, Chris Hoka One One
Event 8 Men 1000 Meter Run Invitational (8) Finals
===============================================================================
Sponsor: Waterfall 6-9 Outside, 1-5 Inside
Fri 1/26 @ 11:55am
Name Year School
===============================================================================
Section 1 Finals
1 658 Palumbo, Victor CPTC New Bal
2 614 Sauer, Alek SR Columbia
3 693 Hernandez, Jeremy Hoka One One
4 661 Prince, Quamel District Tra
5 558 Lasater, Brandon Atlanta TC
6 557 Gregorek, Johnny Asics
7 525 Andrews, Robby adidas
8 738 Engels, Craig Nike Oregon
Event 60 Men 3000 Meter Run Invitational (14) Finals
===============================================================================
Sat 12:55pm
Waterfall 10-14 Outside, 1-9 Inside
Name Year School
===============================================================================
Section 1 Finals
1 524 Gidabuday, Sydney Adams State
2 528 Thies, Jeff adidas
3 529 Winter, Connor adidas
4 559 Thomson, Jacob BAA
5 695 Updike, Isaac Hoka One One
6 685 Santana, Alfredo GSTC NB
7 739 Mann, Jordan Ocean State
8 691 Crawford, Graham Hoka One One
9 684 Atkin, Sam Great Britai
10 740 Oakley, Julian Ocean State
11 791 Flanagan, Ben Reebok Bosto
12 790 Campbell, Kemoy Reebok Bosto
13 526 Parsons, Sam adidas
14 694 Leet, Michael Hoka One One
Event 28 Men 4x200 Meter Relay Invitational (3) Finals
===============================================================================
Sat 1:32pm
School
===============================================================================
Section 1 Finals
3 All Stars 'A'
4 USA 'A'
5 Jamaica 'A'
Event 61 Men 4x1609 Meter Relay Invitational (4) Finals
===============================================================================
Sat 1:46pm
School
===============================================================================
Section 1 Finals
2 Villanova 'A'
3 Duke 'A'
4 Brooks 'A'
5 Hoka One One/NJNY 'A'
Event 51 Men Shot Put Invitational (7) Finals
===============================================================================
Sat 11:30am
Name Year School
===============================================================================
Flight 1 Finals
1 819 Plesko, Nace Slovenia
2 583 Young, Jordan Canada
3 584 Xiaxing, Wu China
4 732 Awonusi, Anu Manhattan Co
5 714 Pless, David Ironwood
6 713 Jensen, Curtis Ironwood
7 877 Kovacs, Joe Velaasa / NY