* Connor Burns competes at the MSHSAA Class 3A State Championships in June
Photo Credit: Shawn Fowler/Missouri MileSplit
WATCH LIVE: THE CYUP MISFITS INVITATIONAL
BEGINS AIRING ON JANUARY 21
Registration open until January 18 l Link
As it stands now, a selection of the country's top distance talent is gearing up for the CYUP Misfits Invitational on Jan. 21 in Chicago, Illinois.
The assembled field is looking to take down a 2-mile record owned by Edward Cheserek.
Led by Southern Boone County's (MO) Connor Burns, who is returning to the track for the first time since breaking the 4-minute mile barrier in June and claiming a national title in the 2-mile at Brooks PR, the field will include an array of recently-minted All-Americans in cross country.
Benzie Central's Hunter Jones, who scored back-to-back 10th-place finishes at Team Nationals and Champs Sports Nationals, is a notable addition to the field; Minneapolis Robbinsdale Armstrong's Noah Breker, a top 10 finisher at Team Nationals and the national runner-up at Champs Sports, is scheduled to race; Dowling Catholic's Jackson Heidesch, a fifth-place finisher at Team Nationals, is among the contingent; rounding out the field will be Clovis' Christopher Caudillo, a Cal Poly signee.
Owen Bosley, the younger brother of NAU's Drew Bosley and a senior at Homestead (WI), is also among those in the field, along with Benton's Gavin Genisio, a junior with 4:07 1,600m speed.
While it may seem a little early to go after the national high school record of 8:39.15, which was last set by Cheserek in 2013, stranger things have happened and the Class of 2023 is shaping up to be among the best contingents of distance runners in recent memory -- both Burns and Rapid City Stevens (SD) senior Simeon Birnbaum broke four minutes in the mile as high school juniors.
Back in 2021, in its first year, Gurnee's Luke Riley ran 9:02.65 at the Gately Indoor Track and Field Center (which has since been renamed the Dr. Conrad Worrill Track And Field Center). Last year, Frankfort's Nolan Rogers won the 2-mile in 9:38.90.
The 2-mile facility record, which was set in 2021 by Herscher's Drew Rogers, is 9:00.21.
Registration remains open until January 18.