NCAA Champion Entered In The Women's Mile At The Armory; Sage Hurta-Klecker, Ajee Wilson Have Eyes On 1,000m Record

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

John Nepolitan photo

Katelyn Tuohy will make a triumphant return to The Armory in New York this weekend when she races at the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge. 

Tuohy, who achieved legendary status as a high school star at North Rockland NY, is entered in the mile and will take on a high quality pro field that includes Alicia Monson, Josette Norris, Courtney Wayment, Whittni Morgan, Sinta Vissa and Helen Schlachtenhaufen. The collegiate record, held by Jenny Simpson, is 4:25.91 from 2009 when she was at Colorado.

It will be Tuohy's first time racing at The Armory since Feb. 23, 2000 at the Section 1 State Qualifier, where she ran the 4x800 (pictured above). Within three weeks the world, and the rest of her illustrious high school track career, was shuttered due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Tuohy, of course, entered North Carolina State in the fall of 2020 and has bridged the gulf between high school superstar and college champion. She is the reigning NCAA Division 1 champion in the 5,000 meters outdoors and won the cross country championship in November. 

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Tuohy enjoyed numerous victories at The Armory during her high school career, including four consecutive New Balance Nationals Indoor titles with her teammates in the Distance Medley Relay. 

Tuohy is also expected to race the following weekend at the Camel City Elite meet in Winston-Salem, followed by another return to New York for the Millrose Games. 

Another of the big stories this weekend centers around Sage Hurta-Klecker of On Athletics, who will be trying to take down a 19-year-old American record in the 1,000 meters. Hurta-Klecker, who owns an 800 PR of 1:57.85, is seeking to run faster than 2:34.19, which Jen Toomey ran in 2004. 

Hurta-Klecker may not be the only runner capable of breaking the record. Ajee' Wilson, the American record holder in the indoor 800 meters and No. 2 on the all-time 1,000 list, is a late entry, along with Anna Camp-Bennett, also a recent NCAA 1,500-meter champion, and Charlene Lipsey are also entered. 

High school standout Sophia Gorriaran from Moses Brown RI is also in the 1,000 meters, and could have her eye on Juliette Whittaker's high school record of 2:39.41. Gorriaran is already No. 3 on the all-time list and ran 2:43.52 last year.

Shawnti Jackson, who recently broke Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's high school 300-meter record when she ran 36.63, is taking on a pro, Brittany Brown, in the 300. 

The Dr. Sander Invitational is scheduled for Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. Eastern.

Tokyo Olympians Marquis Dendy (long jump), JuVaughn Harrison (long jump), Quanesha Burks (long jump), Darryl Sullivan (high jump) and Shelby McEwen (high jump) are all expected to compete. 

The men's mile field includes Drew Hunter, Eric Holt, Shane Streich and Rob Heppenstall.

The men's 1,000 meters entries include Festus Lagat and Ireland's Luke McCann. 

Brycen Spratling, Khamari Montgomery and Amere Lattin are entered in the men's 300 meters. 

The college portion of the meet begins Friday with a four-hour window from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern and the rest of the meet is Saturday, wrapped around the TV window. 

The college fields include athletes from UCLA, Maryland, Syracuse, South Carolina, Connecticut, Cornell and host Columbia.