National Weekend Rundown for May 7

Brandon McGorty Beats Drew Hunter As Three Break 1:49!

In an epic race at the Dogwood Classic in Virginia, three Virginians took over the top three spots on the national leaderboard in the boys 800. Brandon McGorty took the race out hard--coming through 400 in 52 and 600 in under 1:20--opening up a gap of several meters over Alex Lomong in second and Hunter in third.

After his 1:48 800m, Drew comes back and solos a nation leading 8:43 3200m.

Drone view of the epic 800m!

But in a finish reminiscent of the Penn Relays DMR, Hunter closed the gap to nothing in the final 100, and, unlike his move on the outside at Penn, tried to pass McGorty on the inside for the win. McGorty's tall frame outleaned Hunter and a hard-closing Lomong at the line, though, and the junior won in a US #1 1:48.58. Hunter was second in 1:48.64 and Lomong was third in 1:48.67. McGorty is the younger brother of Stanford 3:53 miler Sean McGorty and Lomong is the younger brother of Olympian Lopez Lomong.

The last high schooler to beat Hunter was Grant Fisher at the adidas Dream Mile last year.


-Dennis Young