BOSTON -- Winning is sweet. But how about a national record?
The Cuthbertson High School (NC) girls demolished the previous 4xmile national record Thursday night at New Balance Nationals Indoor inside the Reggie Lewis Track and Field Center, clocking a ridiculous time of 19:22.7.
Cuthbertson's quartet of Josie Schihl, Stella Kermes, Justine Preisano and Charlotte Bell sliced a staggering 15-seconds off the previous national record of 19:37, last accomplished by Flower Mound's 2022 squad.
On Thursday, Flower Mound was exactly the team Cuthbertson had to beat.
But they did just that. Cuthbertson took control on their second leg and raced in front of the pacing lights -- which were set at the former record.
"Going into this race we knew were our fitness was at," Preisano told MileSplit afterward. "We used last year as motivation."
A year ago they finished second to Flower Mound (TX) at New Balance by five seconds, but this year, they said, they turned the tables on the defending champs, winning by six sounds.
Even when Flower Mound passed the baton to the nation's third-best miler Samantha Humphries, the lead was too much. Charlotte Bell squashed it.
What's interesting is that Flower Mound also went under the previous record, finishing in 19:28.07 to finish second. Perhaps they measured their own attempt just right. Cuthbertson was just better on the day.
The two squads were in a race of their own throughout, as they paced away from the field early to set up this 2023 rematch.
Bell took the bell lap with a solid lead and it was all but certain that not only was the previous record going down, but that the national title would be headed to Cuthbertson.
Bell torched a 4:41 fourth-leg to solidify a national title and a national record for Cuthbertson.
"I just knew I couldn't let up," Bell said. "I needed to finish hard."
Photo Credit: David Nguyen/MileSplit