NEW YORK CITY, January 28 — The women’s 1000 at the Dr. Sander Invitational was billed as an American Record assault, with Sage Hurta-Klecker leading the charge. But Ajee’ Wilson had other ideas, relying on her savvy racing skills to come from way back to grab the win.
Wilson clocked 2:35.97 and Jen Toomey’s 19-year-old AR of 2:34.19 survived another day. (Wilson herself has come closest to breaking it, running 2:34.71 in ’19.)
At 600m, Hurta-Klecker (1:32.66), had nearly a second and a half’s lead on Wilson. But last year’s World Indoor 800 gold medalist took back most of that gap on the fourth lap and finally took the lead off the final turn. Hurta finished in a PR 2:36.37, good for No. 9 on the all-time U.S. list.
Wilson is now riding a 10-year win streak at the Armory, having last lost here at the ’13 Millrose Games. “Every time I come here I see a million people I’ve known over the years,” she said. “I’m the most relaxed when I come here; it feels like home.”
Alicia Monson won the women’s mile in a PR 4:23.55, moving to No. 8 on the all-time U.S. list. She controlled the pace from the front — the opening laps were relatively calm (2:14.23 at 809m) — but sensed challenges from Whittni Morgan and Katelyn Tuohy as the pace picked up.
“That was the goal for that race, just going in relaxed for the first 800m, not going out on a crazy pace, and then just winding it down,” said Monson, last year’s top-ranked American in the 5000. “I felt that pressure towards the end, so I tried to turn it on to get the win.”
She credits new training partner Josette Norris, a sub-4:00 performer in the 1500, for giving her a boost. “Ever since having Josette to work out with, and her husband, Robby [Andrews, a ’16 Olympian who helps pace them], we’ve been having workouts that we’ve never had before,” she said. “So I’m more confident now in my closing speed, and that will translate well to the 5K and the 10K.”
Morgan (4:23.97) fought off Tuohy (4:24.26) for the runner-up spot as both PRed, but the NC State junior was also rewarded with a Collegiate Record, taking down the 4:25.91 set by Colorado’s Jenny Simpson (Barringer at the time) back in ’09.
“I was just trying to dig deep and go as fast as I could, work on my finishing speed, because come U.S. nationals [in the outdoor 5000] I’m going to have to be able close the last mile in 4:30, so knowing I can do it for one I guess is a step in the right direction,” said Tuohy, who grew up about 30M north of the Armory and had a partisan crowd cheering for her. “I heard my dad every lap,” the NCAA XC champ said with a laugh.
Tuohy went through the 1500 in 4:06.49, also a CR (well ahead of the 4:09.77 run by Dartmouth’s Abbey D’Agostino in ’14) and good for No. 5 on the absolute collegiate list.
Drew Hunter opened his season with a comfortable win in an evenly paced men’s mile, clocking 3:55.57. After a couple of years focusing on the 5000 (and struggling with injuries), he says he’s now concentrating on the 1500/mile, which won him acclaim in high school.
“The 5K team is impossible to make, to be honest,” the 25-year-old Virginia native said. “I could have the year of my career and run 13:05 and I’ll be 150m behind everyone. I have to do things that excite me at this point in my running career, and being competitive in the 1500 is something that I can envision happening.”
SANDER INVITATIONAL MEN’S RESULTS
(200 banked)
300: 1. Kahmari Montgomery (Nik) 33.17; 2. Amere Lattin (adi) 33.43.
800: 1. Dugion Blackman’ (Jam) 1:49.75 PR.
1000: 1. Luke McCann’ (Aus) 2:19.31; 2. Festus Lagat’ (Ken) 2:19.39 PR; 3. Ben Allen (EmpE) 2:19.91 PR; 4. *Justin O’Toole (Col) 2:21.04 PR; 5. Luciano Fiore (EmpE) 2:21.52; 6. John Lewis (unat) 2:21.64 PR; 7. Colin Daly (unat) 2:23.34 PR.
Mile: 1. Drew Hunter (adi) 3:55.57 PR (3:39.99 PR); 2. Eric Holt (EmpE) 3:56.58 PR (3:40.61 PR); 3. Alec Basten (UArmB) 3:57.37 PR (3:40.91 PR); 4. **Ronan McMahon-Staggs (UCLA) 3:57.81 PR (3:41.83 PR); 5. *Rhys Hammond (Corn) 3:58.90 PR (3:43.36 PR); 6. Robert Becker (SB) 4:00.02 (3:43.80 PR).
3000: 1. **Anass Essayi’ (SC-Mor) 7:41.93 PR (5, 5 C);
2. Dan Shaffer (Zap) 7:43.47 PR; 3. Casey Comber (UArmB) 7:43.53 PR; 4. John Reniewicki (UArmB) 7:47.28 PR.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Shelby McEwen (Nik) 7-2½ (2.20); 2. Darryl Sullivan (unat) 7-½ (2.15).
LJ: 1. Will Williams (TWC) 26-5½ (8.06); 2. Marquis Dendy (unat) 26-2¼ (7.98); 3. Rayvon Grey (unat) 25-2 (7.67).
SANDER WOMEN’S RESULTS
300: 1. Shawnti Jackson (NCHS) 36.73; 2. Leah Anderson’ (Jam) 36.91 PR.
1000: 1. Ajee’ Wilson (adi) 2:35.97 (x, 8 A); 2. Sage Hurta-Klecker (OnAC) 2:36.37 PR (9, 10 A); 3. ***Wilma Nielsen’ (Brad-Swe) 2:38.95 PR (2, 2 C); 4. Sophia Gorriaran (RIHS) 2:39.83 PR (2, 2 HS);
5. Charlene Lipsey (UArm) 2:42.82; 6. Anna Camp Bennett (adi) 2:44.63 PR; 7. Gina McNamara (unat) 2:45.27 PR.
Mile: 1. Alicia Monson (OnAC) 4:23.55 PR (8, x A) (4:06.38 PR); 2. Whittni Morgan (adi) 4:23.97 PR (9, x A) (4:06.52 PR);
3. **Katelyn Tuohy (NCSt) 4:24.26 CR, absolute CR (old records 4:25.91 Jenny Simpson [Co] ’09) (4:06.49 CR—old, 4:09.77 Abbey Cooper [Dart] ’14; in/out: 5, 5 C; 3, 3 AmC);
4. Sinta Vissa’ (Ita) 4:28.71 NR (4:10.85 PR); 5. Erin Teschuk’ (Can) 4:31.21 PR (4:13.51 PR); 6. Susan Ejore’ (Ken) 4:31.54 PR (4:12.25 PR); 7. **Ceili McCabe’ (WV-Can) 4:31.57 PR (4:12.78 PR); 8. Courtney Wayment (On) 4:33.42 PR (4:14.59 PR); 9. Lauren Berman (TS) 4:33.93 (4:14.77); 10. Claudia Saunders’ (Fra) 4:33.98 (4:15.00); 11. Abby Kohut-Jackson (TS) 4:34.31 PR (4:15.79 PR).
3000: 1. Madie Boreman (unat) 8:50.89 PR; 2. Roisin Flanagan’ (Ire) 8:53.53 PR; 3. Hannah Steelman (OnAC) 8:55.60 PR; 4. Grace Moore (Leonia) 9:02.63 PR; 5. **Victoria Patterson (Col) 9:09.31 PR; 6. **Mia Barnett (UCLA) 9:14.28 PR.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Zarriea Willis (NvGaz) 5-10¾ (1.80).
LJ: 1. Rhesa Foster (Nik) 21-8 (6.60) PR; 2. Quanesha Burks (unat) 21-6 (6.55); 3. Monae’ Nichols (Puma) 21-1½ (6.44); 4. Kate Hall (Asics) 21-0 (6.40); 5. Avery Lewis (PaHS) 20-7¾ (6.29); 6. Sha’keela Saunders (adi) 20-4¼ (6.20); 7. Tiffany Flynn (TS) 20-1½ (6.13). ◻︎