* Solomon Holden-Betts earns his first New Balance Nationals Outdoor title in the 2K steeplechase
Photo Credit: Kyle Brazeil / New York Milesplit
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After winning the New York State Championship title in the 3K steeplechase in 9:07.53 last week, Solomon Holden-Betts was geared up to post yet another fast time at New Balance Nationals Outdoor.
Under the lights of Franklin Field, the Baldwinsville (NY) senior was in the front pack the entire race.
He held his own as he consistently split between 67 and 71 seconds as he was accompanied by William Horne of Herriman (UT). In the final lap, Horne moved up to the front, but Holden-Betts didn't let him get too far out in front. As both runners cleared the final barrier, Holden-Betts had just a little more juice left in his tank as he crossed the finish line with a new meet record and US No. 1 time of 5:45.56.
Holden-Betts' performance moved him up the national leaderboard to No. 3 all-time.
Horne held onto second with a 5:46.50, which also dips under the previous record which was set last year as Devan Kipyego won the title in 5:48.15. Holden-Betts and Horne became the ninth and tenth boys to dip under 5:50 at this distance in history.
Soheib Dissa, a sophomore from Newtown (CT), finished third in 5:51.34.
Holden-Betts' previous lifetime best was a 5:57.91 as he finished as the sixth-fastest competitor at the 2022 New Balance Nationals Outdoor.
