Distance
800m Run Invitational
Defending Champion Mikaela Smith (Clovis North, CA) headlines the field with a 2:06.85 personal record, as well as two consecutive CIF State Finals titles in the 800m. Arcadia will be her debut half mile of the season, though she has clocked 56.19 for 400m and 5:08.50 for 1,600m this year. Other sub-2:10 performers include Canadian Ginelle DeMone (2:08.78 best) and Bianca Bryant (2:09.12) of Piedmont Hills (CA). Another young star, sophomore Sophie Cantine (Lakeside, WA), hit 2:10.59 during the indoor season and could be on the verge of a big breakout.
1 Mile Run Invitational
Amanda Gehrich (Tesoro, CA) has already qualified for June's adidas Dream Mile, but she is not even considered the favorite in this field, which features 4:41 performer and USATF Junior National XC Team member Katie Rainsberger (Air Academy, CO). Rainsberger currently ranks US #3 on the Mile leaderboard with her runner-up 4:52.34 finish at the Chandler Rotary Invitational to Dani Jones (Desert Vista, AZ), who will race the 3,200m. Placing just behind junior Rainsberger in that race was freshman Bryn Morley (Bigfork, MT), who has genes on her side (big sister is Foot Locker third placer Makena) and already some wheels of her own. Morley ranks US #4 4:52.86 for the Mile this season and scorched a 4:26.34 1,500m last spring to finish third at USATF Junior Nationals as an eighth-grader.
3,200m Run Invitational
Dani Jones (Desert Vista, AZ) is on fire lately, racing to a third place, 4:44 finish at New Balance Nationals Indoor Mile from the slow section and blitzing US #1 4:46.17 Mile and US #2 2:09.94 800m to kickstart the outdoor season. The Colorado commit enters with a best of 10:34.17, which she will almost certainly better given the standards of her competitors. CIF State XC Champion and NXN fourth-placer Fiona O'Keefe (Davis, CA) is the top returner from last year, when she ran 10:14.6 for fifth overall. Stay tuned for a more in-depth preview of the marquee event of the Arcadia Invitational!