Above: Owen Kelley spoke with MileSplit's Kyle Deeken following Friday's race
It was the perfect storm for Owen Kelley.
At the Mizzou Elite High School Distance Invitational, the Arkansas senior delivered the fastest 3,200m in state history and ascended to the US No. 1 spot on the 2024-25 season.
The pacers brought the lead pack through 2,000m at 5:37 before dropping off and letting the high school boys battle. Kelley then broke away from his chasers to the tune of a ten-second advantage.
He broke the tape in 8:55.89, becoming only the third boy to break nine minutes this year.
Kelley closed with a 64.60 last 400m.
Behind him, Carson Driemeier and Gabriel Voelker battled to the line. The two Missouri juniors each ran lifetime best marks.
How Did He Get There?
The run is a major breakthrough for Kelley. His previous 3,200m personal best was a 9:18.64 from August. He finished ninth at his state championship last year, but is suddenly a threat on the national level.
Kelley had a relatively strong cross country season. He ran 14:50 (XC 5K) at the Olathe Twilight meet in September, which set him up for some strong races down the stretch. In November, he finished second at the 6A Boys Arkansas State Championship.
He then competed at the Foot Locker South Region Championship, snagging eighth before a 24th-place finish at nationals.
All-in-all, the cross country season established momentum for the Ole Miss commit and Kelley has been able to capitalize. With this newfound confidence, he could threaten at one of the indoor national championships in March.