5. Brie Oakley becomes first high school girl to break 16 minutes in the 5K, leading off New Balance Nationals Indoor with a major tone-setter and the seventh straight national record in the event
First race of nationals, first time in New York, sky-high expectations, and perhaps pressure to meet past success with her own?
And what did Grandview (CO) High's Brie Oakley do?
She crushed her own expectations, becoming the first high school girl to go under 16 minutes by running 15:55.75, which blew away the former record held by Leesburg's Weini Kelati of Virginia in 16:08.83.
She started her first mile by going out in 5:04, which was four seconds faster than she had hoped and then continued to hit each check point from then on out.
She came back a day later and claimed the girls 2-mile championship in 9:56.06, though who could have expected her to go 2 for 2 in national records and eclipse Mary Cain's 9:38.68?
Maybe she can save that for the spring.