* American Fork's Daniel Simmons ran the anchor leg of the 4xmile on Thursday
Photo Credit: David Nguyen/MileSplit
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by Maxx Bradley - MileSplit
BOSTON -- Despite being the shortest day of the the four-day championship, the opening slate of action at New Balance Nationals Indoor on Thursday was historic, to say the least.
Throughout both the middle school and high school fields, records weren't just broken but shattered.
The afternoon got off to a quick start in the middle school 400m, as Hoover's (AL) Gideon Newton picked up the win and lowered his indoor PB in down to 49.72, which was the No. 9 mark in middle school history.
A few hours later, middle schoolers Sean Reith and Elin Latta clocked nation-leading times in the mile. Reith won by six seconds over Marlton's Middle (NJ) John Tindall, 4:24.68 to 4:30.19. Reith moved up to No. 2 all-time, and trails only Northbridge's Marcus Reilly.
Latta had just a little more breathing room, with nine seconds separating her and the field, crossing in 4:51.19 as she was the lone athlete under 5:00. The eighth-grader ran 17 seconds under the previous record and now sits No. 21 in the country.
The championship four-by-mile races lived up to the hype, as Daniel Simmons and Charlotte Bell brought the house down as they anchored their powerhouse squads to historic marks.
Simmons, the two-time Gatorade Runner of the Year, brought American Fork home in a mile split of 4:06, as the quartet moved up to No. 2 in high school history behind Newbury Park (CA).
For Cuthbertson, it was Bell who dropped the hammer, nearly running under 4:40 on her anchor leg as the North Carolina program shattered the previous record by 15 seconds, finishing in 19:22.7.
Related Links:
American Fork Runs All-Time No. 2 4xMile Mark
Cuthbertson Girls Shatter 4xMile Record
2024 New Balance Nationals Indoor Schedule: What To Know
STORY OF THE DAY
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Middle schooler Elin Latta shattered the meet and national record in the middle school mile, clocking 4:51.19, actively lowering the meet record by roughly 17 seconds. Latta's performance most definitely elevates her to 'must-watch' status, because she has the makings of a star.
STAT OF THE DAY
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19:22.7
The ladies of Cuthbertson (NC) absolutely shattered the national record set by Flower Mound (TX) in 2022, running 15 seconds quicker than the previous mark. Flower Mound also ran under their previous record, finishing runner-up in 19:28.07.
MVP OF THE DAY
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Charlotte Bell, Cuthbertson (Waxhaw, North Carolina)
The Georgetown commit anchored the Cuthbertson Cavaliers in a red-hot split of 4:41, pulling away for a huge national record, as Bell and company became the first high school program to break 19:30. Bell's weekend isn't over just yet, as she's in the final heat of the girl's mile on Sunday.
MS Boys 400m: Gideon Newton, Hoover Elite (AL) -- 49.72
MS Girls 400m: Janae Coleman, Motor City (MI) -- 56.20
Freshmen Boys 400m: Christian Davis, University Academy Charter (MO) -- 49.68
Freshmen Girls 400m: Kennedy Brown, Bullis School (MD) -- 55.16
Freshmen Boys Mile: Jackson Miller, St. Louis University (MO) -- 4:17.87
Freshmen Girls Mile: Abigail Anstett, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory (VA) -- 5:01.74
MS Boys Mile: Sean Reith, Homeschool (OH) -- 4:24.68
MS Girls Mile: Elin Latta, SA Patriots (TX) -- 4:51.19 NATIONAL RECORD
Championship Boys 4xMile Seeded: -- American Fork (UT) -- 16:43.21
Championship Girls 4xMile Seeded: Cuthbertson (NC) -- 19:22.7 NATIONAL RECORD
Championship Boys 4xMile Unseeded: Jerome (OH) -- 17:34.7
Championship Girls 4xMile Unseeded: St. Joseph's Academy (LA) -- 20:56.58
QUOTE OF THE DAY
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"Like Kobe said, 'job's not finished'"
Kaden Evans, American Fork (Utah)
American Fork junior Kaden Evans on the distance squad's mindset following their runner-up finish at NXN.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
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The Cuthbertson girls huddle together after setting a new national record in the four-by-mile race on Thursday at New Balance Nationals Indoor inside the Reggie Lewis Track and Field Center.
Photo Credit: David Nguyen/MileSplit