3/7 National Weekend Rundown

New York State Championship (NY)

600m National High School Record Holder Kamryn McIntosh won her first state title on Saturday, March 7.

In less than three weeks, Suffern sophomore Kamryn McIntosh broke the National High School Record in the 600m and won her first state title in the event.

McIntosh ran her national standard of 1:28.78 solo, as she finished 10 seconds ahead of the next competitor. With the US #2 600m runner in Emma Gallagher and the US #4 ranked Amanda Crawford also in the race, the match-up at the New York Indoor State Championship was one of the most highly anticipated of the entire meet.

But the championship was all McIntosh, as the sophomore strung the field out immediately with a first lap split of 27.3 for 200m. She came through the quarter in 58.3 and finished in 1:30.78 to claim her first state title on Cornell University's flat track.

"I just ran how I felt," she said. "My strategy was to go out fast and hold through and just go all out my last lap."

McIntosh says she is undecided about moving up to the 800m or down the 400m for the outdoor season.

Gallagher was runner-up in 1:33.86 and Crawford placed third in 1:34.96.

Sammy Watson wasn't quite ready to go after her own US #1 on Saturday, but the Rush-Henrietta sophomore did capture her first state title in the 1k in 2:53.33.

"I was really nervous going in," she said. "The 2:47 I did earlier in the season really hurt and I wasn't ready for the pain again."

Watson also placed runner-up in the 300m to Arianne Strunkey, 39.26 to 40.25, and led Rush-Henrietta to runner-up honors in the 4x200m relay behind US #1 Medgar Evers.

Rai Benjamin, the US #2 All-Time runner in the 300m, broke the New York State Meet Record in the event at 33.29. His best this season, 33.17, is just off Michael Cherry's National High School Record of 33.05.

"Although I didn't get [the national record] here on the flat track, I know I definitely would break it on a banked," he said. "But it's all preparation for Nationals."

Benjamin is entered in the 400m at New Balance Indoor Nationals next weekend.

Another new state record holder is Eric Favors, who threw 66-1 in the Shot Put to beat the year-old standard.

"Finally got a one good one in," he said. "It's been a long season, hopefully I continue it next weekend at Nationals."

Paige Duca, who finished third in the Millrose Games Mile last month at 4:52, won the Girls 1,500m in a US #3 4:36.32.

"I never thought that I would ever be a state champion," she said. "It's amazing, I'm so happy."

The Friends Academy senior will race the Mile next weekend at New Balance, where she hopes for a top-eight All-American finish.

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