Boys to Watch: National Distance Preview

Shane Dillon and Nick Linder are two of the nation's top returners for 800m after both smashed the NBN Indoors Emerging Elite meet record last season.

800/1000m

Brian Bell (Dunbar, OH) and Terrell Jackson (Memphis, TN) are the names to watch in mid-distance action this indoor season, as the top two returners from New Balance Indoor Nationals. Senior Bell placed eighth to return as an All-American (1:53.48), though Jackson actually returns with the country’s fastest indoor time (1:53.24). The junior placed 12th at nationals.

Randall Neish (Glastonbury, CT) was 15th at nationals (1:54.59) and is the fifth-fastest returner (1:54.59). Jeramey Hampton (North Gwinnett, GA) is the third-fastest returner (1:53.72).

Shane Dillon (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and Nick Linder (Providence, NC) went 1-2 to break the Emerging Elite meet record at NBN Indoors for 800m last year, 1:53.44 - 1:54.09. Dillon finished sixth overall at NBN Outdoors (1:50.44).

Looking for a dark horse? Donavan Brazier (MI) improved from a 1:57.54 third place finish at the Michigan Indoor Track State Championship to not only a gold medal finish outdoors (1:50.24), but an individual title at New Balance Outdoor Nationals (1:48.61). The senior did not race NBN Indoors last year, but he could very well mix up the indoor projections with an appearance.

Twenty sub-1:56 indoor athletes return in total. 

Everest Crawford (Gloucester, NY) doesn’t have the leg speed of the aforementioned names (his personal records for 800m are 1:57.88 indoors, 1:55.89 outdoors), but deserves mentioning given his status as the nation’s quickest returner for 1k. He ran 2:26.11 to win the New England Indoor Track & Field Championship last season.

James Asselmeyer (Arlington, NY) is also a 1k wonder, as the #2 returner (2:26.12) and only other returning athlete to break 2:27 for the distance. He boasts 1:52.81 credentials for 800m outdoors. 

Mile/Two Mile

Can anyone beat Grant Fisher this year?

Grant Fisher (Grand Blanc, MI) is the top distance name burning rubber into the souls of potential challengers all over the country, especially given his historic defense of his Foot Locker Championship in cross country. The IAAF World Juniors qualifier for 1,500m has not lost a high school race since 2013. Fisher has not raced often indoors but when he does, he wins — he is the defending NBN Indoor mile champion (4:09.46). His best 1,600m effort last year was 4:11.32 and he has indoor 800m credentials of 1:55.76. Of course, the big question for the Stanford commit is whether he’ll go for a sub-four — but we’ll leave that up for debate until the spring.

But — believe it or not — Fisher doesn’t hold the nation’s fastest returning time for the indoor four-lap race. That honor belongs to Millrose Games High School Mile champion Luke Gavigan (Tappan Zee, NY), who returns with top times of 4:11.21 (1,600) and 4:08.96 (Mile). The senior finished runner-up to Fisher at NBN Indoors.

Other top milers include James Burke (Port Jefferson, NY), who nabbed the first auto qualifier to the 2015 Millrose Games, William Mulloy (St. Xavier, KY), Nick Carleo (Newburyport, MA), Mike Brannigan (Northport, NY), Logan Wetzel (Saline, MI), Andrew Ernst (Marblehead, MA), Elijah Armstrong (Pocatello, ID) and Matthew Novak (Deep Run, VA) — all of whom ran under 4:16 for one mile last season.

Foot Locker All-American Alex Ostberg (Darien, CT) is the nation’s top returner for two miles with his 9:02.74 runner-up finish at the New England Indoor Track & Field Championships. Armstrong (9:08.6) is the second-fastest returner, while Conner Mantz (9:09.44) also ran under 9:10 for a full two miles. Aidan Tooker (9:09.95), Levi Thomet (9:09.96) and Zach Dale (9:10.2) ran 9:10 or faster for 3,200m.

Not to be forgotten is Fisher, who did not race often on the indoor circuit last year but must be considered the favorite in any distance race he is entered. His personal record is 8:51.28, clocked June’s Brooks PR Invitational. He has never raced the distance indoors.