The Morolake Akinosun Elite Invite and CYUP Misfits Invite presented by HOKA is ready to shine!
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The 2025 indoor track and field season is underway! Times and marks are slowly creeping to the surface, and before you know it, things will be in full bloom.
On the docket are several big-time January invitationals. Notably, the Morolake Akinosun Invitational and the CYUP Misfits Invitational, Presented by HOKA, will lead the charge.
-The leadoff to 2025 will be a treat and certainly one that will keep the fans buzzing for quite a while. Check out the Akinosun's Invite key entrants to date:
Boys-
Jason Hamilton II (Sr., Troy, MI): An emerging talent from the Wolverine state entered the 200 and 400-meter dashes. Hamilton has Sean O'Bryne (Sr., Homestead WI/Milwaukee Speed Academy): Speedster from Wisconsin is ready.
Braylen Anderson (Jr., Dekalb, IL): an emerging talent ready to showcase his talent.
Daniel Robinson (Jr., Naperville [Neuqua Valley]): Look for this standout to bust out in the 60 and 200-meter dashes.
Arion Hill (Jr., Centralia, IL): Has been one of the state's top short hurdlers is destined to go under 8.00.
Rondre Austion (Jr., Oak Park, MI)- Competing for the mighty Motor City Track Club, Austion ran 47.52 during the 2024 summer outdoor season.
(Jr., Westmont): Produced a monster season in cross country, running 16:35 for three miles and taking third in Class A. Babb is entered
Angelena Bullocks (Sr., Chicago Whitney Young): A 60 and 200m standout will debut her season.
Kamryn Tatum (Jr., West Bloomfield, MI): Competing for the Michigan Mustangs during the club season, Tatum has run a blistering 7.46 as a 10th grader in the 60m. She is also entered in the 200 and 400m.
Nevaeh Burns (So., Motor City TC/Oak Park, MI): 400 meters is her main event!
Carrie Vannoy (Sr., Motor City TC/Oak Park, MI): The short hurdles race ace took 4th in the 100H at last year's
Boys-
HOKA Mile watch list is building into one of the elite mile fields in all of the indoor track and field season.
TJ Hansen (Sr., Freeland, MI): One of the top distance runners in the country, Hansen took second at the Nike Cross Nationals. He has a personal best of 4:02.81 for 1600m.
Tony Anania (Sr., Norwalk, IA): Anania is Iowa's 1600m state champion. He has run a swift 4:07.81 and is currently the top seed in the HOKA Mile. Anania has also run 1:53 in the 800m. Anania is also slated to run the two-mile.
Ayden Taylor (Sr., Liberty Wentzville, MO): Has a personal best of 4:11.96 for 1600m. Taylor placed fourth at the 2024 Festival of Miles.
Keegan Smith (Sr., Knoxville Catholic, TN): Finally, a senior, Keegan has performed well throughout his high school campaign. He will be looking to run exceptionally fast at the Misfits. He has a personal best of 4:07.50y, which will be displayed against a tremendous field.
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The best of the rest (event-wise)--
Two-Mile: Believe it or not, this event has been among the hottest, if not the most sizzling, since its inception. Two years ago, the national leader was run here, and it lasted until the outdoor season at the Arcadia Invitational. There is a strong chance that another sensational effort will occur.
Nine runners are entered under 9:10 for the 3200m. If Keegan Smith decides to double back, he will lead the charge. If not, junior Jaden Merrick of Cedar Falls, Iowa, will look to run under 8:50.
1000m: This event will be boosted with Spencer Alf (Sr., McFarland, WI) in the field. He has run 1:54 and 4:16, respectively.
600m: 800m specialists Owen Horeni (Jr., Yorkville) and Mason Schmitz (So., Hamilton Southeastern, IN) should be head and shoulders out in front of the herd. Both have clocked times in the 1:52 range. This will be an exciting race to watch.
Long Jump: Arman Lepuzanovic (Jr., Rolling Meadows): The long jump will be boosted as the standout leaped 23'2.25" last year. Daniel Robinson will double back from the track in an attempt to garner two coveted medals.
Girls-
Let's start with the 3200m field. It is DEEP!!! 13 girls have run under 11:00. This could be the fastest indoor field ever assembled on Illinois soil.
Ella Hagen (Sr., Summit, Co) leads the charge and recently finished fifth at the Nike Cross Nationals. Her personal best is 10:06, which is something to watch. However, the national up-and-comer
Mia Sirois (So., Barrington) happened to defeat Hagen at NXN and owns a PB of 10:19. This could be the race of the day! Also entered in the field is
Isabella Keller (So., Effingham St. Anthony). Keller has run 10:19 but is entered in the HOKA Mile. Footlocker All-American
Kate Foltz will also be in the mix and should not be discounted. Junior
Sunny Weber of Sandwich recently ran 10:01.60 for 3000m. She may want to mix it up and earn top honors.
HOKA MILE: All hype aside, this could be the deepest ever field in the state of IL or even the Midwest indoors or outside. There are 13 girls under 5:00 for the mile, five under 4:50, and eight more below 4:53. This race is guaranteed to burn the barn down!
Upstart
Elin Latta of Colorado ran a disgusting 4:45.13 (1600m) as an eighth grader.
Elyse Wilmes (Sr., Father Tolton Catholic, MO),
Annika Swan (Jr., Chicago St. Ignatius),
Jessie Jazwinski (Sr., Shelby, MI), and
Kayleigh Norris (Sr., Harrisonville, MO) are sub 4:50 performers.
1000: This off-event has been successful over the years and will be hot again. Layla Jordan (senior, Goodrich, MI) is a 2:07 800m performer looking to go under 2:45. She will need the right match-up. More top athletes are expected to enter before the deadline.
300: 54 Second quarter miler Nevaeh Burns will make another return to Chicago in preparation for the Millrose Games. This event is one that will test her strength.
60: There are nearly a dozen entrants under 8.00. Angelena Bullocks should be ready to roll out a beastly time with the rust off of her legs from a week prior. Her clubmate
Kee'Lani Whitlock (Sr., Chicago Kenwood) is also entered.
60HH: Michigander
Carrie VanNoy will match up against
Jordan Hamb, making it a tremendous battle. Hamb, representing the Windy City Hammers TC and Chicago South Shore HS, will debut in 2025.
1000: The freshman national record is in trouble!
Janae Coleman of the Motor City TC has run a devastating 1:32.54 all ready this season. Can she go under 1:30?
HJ: All-American
Kaylee Meyer (Sr., Schaumburg) will get her moment to shine bright. She has a PB of 5'8."
TJ: They will finally meet! Age divisions and other circumstances have prevented
Dominique Johnson (Sr., Huntley) and Jordan Hamb from competing against one another. They are both 41-feet performers.
