Coming off an incredible Cross-Country season there were
plenty of top long-distance runners who competed in the 5,000 in the first week
of the season to further prove their fitness and get on the qualifying list as
quickly as possible. The times displayed indicate we are in for a treat from the
distance runners this season. In the post we will preview the big names expected
to perform well.
Women
800-Meter Run
Lindsey Butler of Virginia Tech was the latest star
half-miler to come out of Virginia Tech. She claimed the indoor title with a
time of 2:01.37, just off her personal best. Unfortunately, she was injured
during the outdoor season leaving a void of who the new lead will be. She has
returned and perhaps looking for redemption after a disappointing end to her 2022
outdoor campaign and to remind everyone she is the defending champion after
all. Her top challenger will likely be Claire Seymour of BYU who equally had a disappointing
end to her outdoor season where she did not make the finals. However indoors
she was a solid second to Butler.
1600-Meter Run
No race is perhaps wider open than the women’s mile. There will
be a new champion with the graduation of Micaela Degenero and the professional
signing of Sintayehu Vissa of Ole Miss. The top returnee is Olivia Howell of Illinois.
Howell had quite the indoor season, winning the Big Ten title and finishing
fifth overall at the indoor championships. Howell had an up and down Cross-Country
post season, she finished 23rd at the Big Ten Championship but won
the Midwest regional title. Look for her to lead the way in the women’s mile.
3000/5000-Meter Run
Katelyn Touhy as a indoor freshman last season proved to be
quite the gamer for NC State. She finished second in both the 3,000 and 5,000-meter
runs. Although there are no preliminary races indoors for either event, it is
still tough to attempt to a double. She came away with double silver against an
impressive field. Touhy followed that up by winning the 5,000 outdoors and
claiming the Cross-Country title as well. She will be challenged by Parker
Valby of Florida who many thought would beat her at the Cross-Country national
championship only for her finish second. Touhy is certainly capable of winning
both events regardless of who is challenging her.
Men
800 Meter Run
Brandon Miller formerly of Texas A&M has recently turned
pro and moved to Los Angeles to train under Bobby Kersee leaving the race wide
open. The top returnee is 400-meter favorite Jonathan Jones of Texas. Remember
last indoor season he moved up to the 800 and finished second to Miller. In the
outdoor season he moved back to the 400. He may repeat that same process. His teammate
Yuzuf Bizimana is also a top returnee finishing fourth last indoor season.
Challenging both will be Navasky Anderson of Mississippi State by way of
Jamaica. His performance at the outdoor meet last season with a time of 1:45.02
broke the Jamaican national record. I will lean towards Bizimana but this race could
go to anyone.
Mile Run
Perhaps the most glamorous distance event, or maybe just my
personal favorite, its one in the same. This event will also have a new
champion as Mario Garcia Romo has turned professional. Joe Waksom of Washington
was the only person to defeat Romo last year but at 1,500 meters. He did not
compete in the indoor mile but having a NCAA Outdoor title in the 1,500 is certainly
worth the title preseason favorite. Isaac Basten of Drake is the highest
returning performer from the last indoor championship and will lead the
challenging field.
3000/5000-Meter Run
The 3,000 and 5,000 will also have a new champion and
perhaps my preseason favorite may not even compete in both events at the championship,
but he deserves to be mentioned here. Charles Hicks of Stanford the 2022 Cross
Country champion. He is the top returnee from last years indoor championship in
the 3,000 having finished third. His teammate Ky Robinson has taken an early
lead to the season with a mark this top four all time with 13:11.53 at the Boston
Season Opener this past weekend. Together they make a powerful 1-2 punch in the
3 and 5k. Nico Young of Northern Arizona is certainly worth mentioning here
along with Adrian Wildschutt of Florida State. These four names have been
synonymous with the distances for the past year and that should not change. pre
Closing
No DMR prediction yet but let’s not forgot about the depth
of the Stanford men. I think this will be a great year for distance races and I
am excited to see what the 3k and 5k look like come championship season for
both men and women. In our next post we will talk about those amazing field
athletes.
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