Alli Ince of Normal Community and Will Sumner enjoyed record-breaking performances at Gately Stadium.
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Akinosun Invite Registration I CYUP Misfits Registration
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Two of the nation's top preseason indoor meets are right here in the heartland of America. Don't miss an opportunity to spruce up your resume and prove that your fall and winter training has paid off.
Morolake Akinosun Invitational-
-The leadoff to the 2024 indoor track and field season will be a treat and certainly one that will keep the fans buzzing for quite a while. Check out the meet's key entrants to date:
"Ali" Allison Ince (Sr., Normal Community) is one of the nation's top middle-distance talents who will open in the 1600m/mile. Ince has enjoyed tremendous success in her "secondary" event. She enters with a 4:46 seed and will look to make a massive statement despite it being basketball season.
Shamar Heard (Sr., Clinton Township, MI)- The University of Tennessee signee lit the track on fire during the 2023 track and field season, including defending his AAU 400m title in an eye-poppin' 46.23! Heard has already put a statement out for the '24 campaign: 300m (34.07- US#1) and 200m (21.92). Heard is entered in the 400 and 200-meter dashes.
-There are 13 athletes entered in the 200m with times under 23 seconds and two under 22 seconds ready to tangle.
The Katelyn Lehnen (Jr., Chatham-Glenwood) vs Daisha Brunson (So., Conant) hype train could be the real deal in 2024. Both young talents enjoyed successful 2023 seasons in their respective events. Lehnen is a sprint triple threat, and Brunson's primary event is the hurdles. Both girls will meet in the middle and compete in the 200... with over 70 entries from many surrounding states, this will be an event to watch out for!
The Motor City Track is notorious for sending its stars to big invitationals. This year will be no different. Keep an eye open for the freshman phenom Nevaeh Burns. She has already achieved success before entering high school. The 200 and 400 dashes are her choice of events.
Annika Swan (So., Chicago St. Ignatius) is entered in the 800m, and with her 2:12.77 PB, she will make a statement to the masses.
CYUP Misfits Invitational presented by HOKA-
The second major invitational for youth and high school will occur on January 20. The Misfits is unique because it highlights some of the indoor track and field's former staple events. Yes, the 300-meter, 600-meter, and 1000-meter events used to be regular events during the undercover season.
The boy's mile has just caught on fire with some added entrants. 3A state xc runner and 4:10 miler Camyn Viger (Sr., Plainfield South) has entered the mix. There are 10 entrants under 4:20 for the full mile thus far.
Although he was second in the 3A Kentucky State Championship 1600m, Tiger Bartlett (Sr., Ryle, KY) ran a swift 9:00.61 in the 3200m. He also ran 14:51 for 5K this season and is excited to run the two-mile at the Misfits. 1A cross country champion and 4:07 miler Gavin Genisio (Sr., Benton) has entered this race. He is an underrated performer in this event, clocking 9:09.42. Footlocker finalist Ben Crane (Jr., New Trier) has been added to the field, so look for additional early-season fireworks.
The boys pole vault will emerge as one of the premier events when it's all said and done. All-American Paul Migas (Sr., Lakes) will bring his 17-foot credentials into the arena and hope to get an early jump on the field. Cooper Schaad (Sr., Geneseo) is a fellow 16-foot-plus performer and will make things challenging against his opponents.
The boys shot put sector will receive a boost from All-American Matthew Rusch of Osh Kosh, Wisconsin. He took fourth in last year's Nike Outdoor Nationals and has a PB of 62-8.
The HOKA Girls Mile could be something folks talk about for a long time. It is absolutely loaded! Slated for 12 entrants, the 12th ranked entrant, as we stand, is Abby Lewis (So., Barrington, who sits in at 5:00. But the headlines will show the likes of 4:40 low talents of Rachel Forsyth (Sr., Ann Arbor Pioneer, MI), Flower Mound, TX super twins Samantha Humphries and Nicole Humphries. Add in Footlocker All-American Jessica Jazwinski of Hart, Michigan. She also had time to drop in a 4:49.50 mile over the past two weeks.
Super speedster USC commit senior Olivia Pace of Westerville Central, Ohio, is enlisted to compete in two events. The first one will be the 60m dash, in which she is currently at US#3 with a swift 7.45 clocking. Pace will later take her shot at the 300m and an opportunity to take down the meet record of 38.89. National elite talent and recent Oklahoma State U commit Kailey Littlefield of Lucas Lovejoy, Texas, will oppose her in the latter event. Littlefield is a dynamic all-around runner from the 400 to 5000 meters. Littlefield, a 2:06 800m performer, will contest the 300 and 600-meter runs.
Two national elite pole vaulters will be in attendance and ready to capture some major headlines. Mya Strahm (Jr., Elmwood) recently eclipsed the 13-7 mark, the highest clearance in state history. The mark is still awaiting official record confirmation. Her counterpart will be Chelsea Wetzel (Sr., Dunlap), who enjoyed an outstanding 2023 campaign. Hopefully, the national pole vault scene will notice what is to come!