Among races stacked with top juniors at this weekend's Brooks PR Invitational, the high school girls 800m is so jam-packed with superstars that it could be the fastest prep race EVER over that distance. Read the full Brooks PR preview here!
The Brooks PR Invitational Girls 800m Dash starts at 2:50 PM PST on Saturday, June 18. Tune into Flotrack for LIVE coverage of all of the races.
Headlined by Christina Aragon, who recently won the 1500m at the Portland Track Festival in an Olympic Trials-qualifying time, Saturday's race will also feature junior phenom Sammy Watson. It will be the first time the two face each other on the track.
Watson's 800m personal best of 2:03.06 is slightly better than Aragon's 2:04.00, but make no mistake -- this race is bound to be a battle to the end, and it will pit Watson's speed against Aragon's strength.
The Brooks PR Invitational Girls 800m Dash starts at 2:50 PM PST on Saturday, June 18. Tune into Flotrack for LIVE coverage of all of the races.
Headlined by Christina Aragon, who recently won the 1500m at the Portland Track Festival in an Olympic Trials-qualifying time, Saturday's race will also feature junior phenom Sammy Watson. It will be the first time the two face each other on the track.
Watson's 800m personal best of 2:03.06 is slightly better than Aragon's 2:04.00, but make no mistake -- this race is bound to be a battle to the end, and it will pit Watson's speed against Aragon's strength.
Aragon, the returning 800m Brooks PR champion, has proven she can beat not only elite collegiate runners, but professionals as well. Following her 4:11.24 at the Payton Jordan invitational in May, the Stanford-bound senior ran 4:09.27 in Portland -- the third-fastest time in prep history.
Armed with power stemming from her background as a standout gymnast, Aragon is certainly capable of running the 2:03 Trials standard in the 800m. That would mean TWO standards for a girl who has yet to compete at the collegiate level!
Armed with power stemming from her background as a standout gymnast, Aragon is certainly capable of running the 2:03 Trials standard in the 800m. That would mean TWO standards for a girl who has yet to compete at the collegiate level!
Aragon has also shown she has quite the finishing kick, but can she contend with Watson's 52.69 400m speed?
Watson, who hails from Henrietta, New York, owns the top prep time in the 800m this year. But what's even more impressive is her range, which includes top marks in the high jump and long jump as well as victories in races from the 100m to the 1500m.
This spring at the Penn Relays, Watson solidified her status as a middle-distance superstar by winning the girls 1500m in 4:49.56. Her second-place finish at the Adrian Martinez Classic on June 2 was only .06 seconds away from the 800m Trials standard, and proves she's in shape to challenge Aragon at her best.
Watson, who hails from Henrietta, New York, owns the top prep time in the 800m this year. But what's even more impressive is her range, which includes top marks in the high jump and long jump as well as victories in races from the 100m to the 1500m.
This spring at the Penn Relays, Watson solidified her status as a middle-distance superstar by winning the girls 1500m in 4:49.56. Her second-place finish at the Adrian Martinez Classic on June 2 was only .06 seconds away from the 800m Trials standard, and proves she's in shape to challenge Aragon at her best.
In addition, 10 other high school elites will spike up for a chance to dethrone Aragon and upstage Watson. Baylor commit Aaliyah Miller, a three-time Texas state champion in the 800m, ran 2:06.06 at this year's Texas Meet of Champions, and will certainly pose a threat for the title.
Pennsylvania junior Olivia Arizin and California sophomore Alyssa Brewer, who have run 2:06.8 and 2:06.86, respectively, should also be in the mix for the highly anticipated Brooks PR title on Saturday.
The Super Fan's Guide to the Brooks PR Invitational