Index: 800m (Boys And Girls) - Mile Preview - 2-Mile Preview - 5K Preview
* Leo Daschbach broke down his 1-mile indoor PR from 2019
- - -
Boys 1-Mile
- - -
Contenders: Nathan Green (Borah, ID), Cole Sprout (Valor Christian, CO), Leo Daschbach (Highland, AZ), Carson Belnap (Stansbury, UT), Alex Fleury (Phillips Academy Andover, NH), Myles Collins (Archer, GA), Cole Lindhorst (Katy Tompkins, TX), Caleb Niednagel (La Costa Canyon, CA), Anthony Grover (JSerra, CA), William Coogan (Phillips Exeter Academy, NH).
Breakdown: If the girls' 800 meter race might be the craziest event of NBNI, the boys mile might be the most competitive. Sprout is the highest-placing returner, having finished second in 4:06.68 in 2019. But Green ran 4:12.51 in the slow heat last year, and Lindhorst went 4:12.97 in Heat 2.
In terms of performances from 2020, Fleury is the fastest athlete entering the field. The New Hampshire athlete ran 4:05.57 on Feb. 28. Meanwhile, Daschbach went 4:05.96 on Feb. 21 and Green ran 4:09.45 on Feb. 8. Sprout owns a US No. 1 in the 1,500m, which converts to 4:12.97, though that came on Feb. 2.
We should not forget about Belnap, who could be the sleeper of this field. He owns a US No. 1 1,600m time of 4:10.73. And then there's Collins, who posted a 4:08.78 outdoors on Feb. 22.
* Taryn Parks enters as one of the favorites in the girls 1-mile
- - -
Girls 1-Mile
- - -
Contenders: Zofia Dudek (Ann Arbor Pioneer, MI), Taryn Parks (Greencastle-Antrim, PA), Lea Hatcher (Morgantown, WV), Lucy Jenks (Newton South, MA), Carlee Hansen (Woods Cross, UT), Ella Kurto (Saratoga Springs, NY), Fiona Max (Summit, OR), Heidi Nielson (Katy Cinco Ranch, TX).
Breakdown: This was a ridiculous race last year. Taryn Parks out-leaned Marlee Starliper at the line to win in 4:39.04, which at the time was the eighth-fastest performance in high school history.
The field in 2020 will include mostly different faces, though.
While Parks will return as the defending champion, it won't be an easy title to repeat. Dudek enters the field having run a US No. 1 effort of 4:41.85 for 1,600m, while Jenks is US No. 5 in the mile with a time of 4:47.83.
Parks' US No. 3 mark of 4:44.98, from the Millrose Games, is just slightly behind Dudek's conversion (4:43.48). Then there are some compelling sleepers, including Hansen, who ran 4:42.86 outdoors to finish second at Brooks PR, and Kurto and Nielson, who both have run 4:51-4:52 for 1,600m recently.