NEW YORK CITY, February 05 — Many of the all-time fastest high school boys miles have come in professional races, which usually means the achievement is somewhat overshadowed by a middle- or back-of-the-pack finish.
But Californian Colin Sahlman of Newbury Park’s high-power program, joined the exclusive prep sub-4 club in emphatic fashion, storming past a field of pros and collegians to win the invitational race at the Dr. Sander Invitational. Sahlman broke the tape in 3:58.81, which puts him No. 3 on the high school all-time indoor list (and No. 5 indoors or out).
The talented senior tucked into the pack for the early laps, and was just 8th at halfway. He then steadily moved up, and coming off the penultimate curve he blasted out of traffic and took the lead by 1500 (3:44.05, moving to No. 5 on the indoor all-time list).
His final lap of 27.79 was too much for the field, and Sahlman finished well clear of runner-up Eric Holt (4:00.01). “I always wanted to break 4, but as soon as I saw those guys coming back a little bit I was like, I might as well just try to go for the win here,” said the Northern Arizona-bound Sahlman, whose previous best was an outdoor 4:04.86 from last March.
The field also included ’16 WIC 3000 silver medalist Ryan Hill (4th, 4:00.39) and ’17 U.S. 1500 champ Robby Andrews (5th, 4:01.15). Said Sahlman, “Honestly I didn’t even look at the entries before I came to this race. I was like, ‘I just want to do the best that I can. It doesn’t matter who’s in there, it’s just what I want to do.’”
He stepped onto the track inspired by the performances of two of his teammates in the 3000 a short while earlier. Lex Young, a Newbury Park junior, just missed the high school record of 7:56.97, clocking 7:57.06 for 4th, while Sahlman’s younger brother Aaron was 8th in 8:01.72.
Young was just shy of the HSR, school record and family record set by older brother Nico at the ’20 Millrose Games, moving to No. 2 on the all-time list. Sahlman jumped into the No. 4 slot.
“Having them to pull me through made it a lot easier for me to run that time,” Young said of the field. “Following along someone’s back is a lot easier mentally than pushing the pace on your own.” (Binghamton’s Dan Schaffer continued his breakout season, winning the race in 7:53.74.)
Nico (now a standout at Northern Arizona) called his brother the night before the race to discuss strategy for his first time racing on an indoor track “Running and then turning into that bank, that’s a neat feeling,” Lex said, likening it to mountain biking.
On the infield, BYU’s Zack McWhorter won the vault at 19-2¼ (5.85), moving to equal 5th on the all-time collegiate list. After struggling at his opening height — needing 3 tries to get over 17-10 ½ (5.45) — he dueled the entire way with Princeton’s Sondre Guttormsen, who had fewer misses through 18-10¼ (5.75).
“About halfway through the competition I had a shift in my mindset,” said McWhorter, the runner-up at last year’s NCAA Indoor. “Early on I was being passive and I realized I needed to be aggressive and it all started with the way I ran down the runway.”
Guttormsen went out at 19-2¼ (5.85), and after two misses of his own, McWhorter had a clutch clearance to take the win. A PR 19-1 (5.82) in December told him it was possible, though he was surprised to hit the mark this early in the season. He was especially pleased to jump so well on a flat runway, rather than the raised setup he practices on, since the upcoming USA Indoor and NCAA Indoor meets will feature a similar set-up. “It’s good to get some confidence with these runways,” he said. “It’s an adjustment for sure.”
SANDER INVITATIONAL RESULTS
(200 banked; WA Indoor Tour Bronze)—
800: 1. Shane Streich (AtlTC) 1:46.07 PR; 2. Eric Sowinski (unat) 1:46.26; 3. Kameron Jones (unat) 1:46.67.
Mile: 1. Colin Sahlman (CaHS) 3:58.81 PR (3, 4 HS) (in/out: 5, 9 HS; HS sub-4:00 #13 (3:44.05 PR—5, 6 HS);
2. Eric Holt (EmpE) 4:00.01; 3. Jonah Koech (DistTC) 4:00.24 PR; 4. Ryan Hill (Hoka) 4:00.39; 5. Robby Andrews (unat) 4:01.17; 6. Ben Allen (EmpE) 4:01.59 PR; 7. ***Yasin Sado (Va) 4:02.70 PR.
3000: 1. Dan Schaffer (Bing) 7:53.74 PR; 2. Mohamed Hrezi’ (Lib) 7:53.85 PR; 3. ***Wes Porter (Va) 7:56.81 PR;
4. Lex Young 7:57.06 (CaHS) (2, 2 HS) (in/out: 10, x AJ; 2, 2 HS);… 8. Aaron Sahlman (CaHS) 8:01.72 PR (4, 4 HS) (in/out: 6, 6 HS).
HJ: 1. Keenon Laine (unat) 7-2½ (2.20).
PV(2/04): 1. **Zach McWhorter (BYU) 19-2¼ (5.85) PR (CL) (=5, x C; =3, x AmC; =12, x A) (in/out: =8, x C; =6, x AmC) (17-10½ [3], 18-2½ [2], 18-6½, 18-10¼, 19-2¼ [3]) (5.45 [3], 5.55 [2], 5.65, 5.75, 5.85 [3]);
2. *Sondre Guttormsen’ (Prin-Nor) 18-10¼ (5.75) =NR; 3. *Simen Guttormsen’ (Prin-Nor) 17-10½ (5.45).
LJ: 1. Marquis Dendy (unat) 26-7 (8.10); 2. Steffin McCarter (Nik) 26-¾ (7.94); 3. Will Williams (TWC) 26-¾ (7.94).
SANDER WOMEN’S RESULTS
800: 1. Sage Hurta (OnAC) 2:02.58; 2. *Claire Seymour (BYU) 2:04.84; 3. Gemma Finch’ (GB) 2:05.32.
1500: 1. Yolanda Ngarambe’ (Swe) 4:14.33; 2. Alma Cortés’ (Mex) 4:14.55; 3. Claudia Saunders’ (Fra) 4:14.86; 4. Molly Sughroue (Tracksm) 4:15.61; 5. Lauren Berman (unat) 4:16.01; 6. Gabbi Jennings (adi) 4:16.76.
Mile: 1. Alma Cortés’ (Mex) 4:32.21 PR; 2. Yolanda Ngarambe’ (Swe) 4:32.92; 3. Molly Sughroue (Tracksm) 4:33.00 PR;
4. Claudia Saunders’ (Fra) 4:33.35 NR; 5. Lauren Berman (unat) 4:34.16 PR; 6. Gabbi Jennings (adi) 4:36.76.
HJ: 1. Amina Smith (unat) 5-10¾ (1.80); 2. **Rachel Glenn (SC) 5-10¾; 3. Inika McPherson (unat) 5-10¾.
TJ: 1. Tori Franklin (Nik) 45-9¾ (13.96); 2. Imani Oliver (unat) 44-10¾ (13.68); 3. Michelle Fokam (unat) 42-¾ (12.82).
SP: 1. Sarah Mitton’ (Can) 62-10½ (19.16) NR; 2. Rachel Fatherly (GarS) 57-2¾ (17.44); 3. Monique Riddick (GarS) 55-7¾ (16.96); 4. Felisha Johnson (unat) 55-2 (16.81). ◻︎