* Jayden Horton-Mims lowered the 300m national record at the 117th Millrose Games
Photo: Kyle Brazeil/ MileSplit New York
- - -
Wow. Not one, not two, but three national titles went down this weekend at the 117th Millrose Games in New York. Amid world records, world leads, and an assortment of national records, many U.S. high schoolers shined.
The National Performer of the Week poll will close at 5 p.m. CT on Thursday, February 13, and the winner will be announced shortly after.
Take a look at five of the top-performing boys from last weekend.
Cooper Lutkenhaus, Justin Northwest (Texas): It's not even Spring! In just his second 800m race since last June, the sophomore smashed the seven-year-old national record of 1:47.67, set by Bishop Shanahan's (Pa.) Josh Hoey. Ironically, Hoey broke the American indoor record in the same race. Lutkenhaus is on pace to do incredible things before he even thinks of college, especially considering that only five high schoolers have ever broken 1:47 indoors, and he's the only one to do it indoors.
Jayden Horton-Mims, Imhotep Institue Charter (Pa.): Matching the national record while becoming the 11th fastest in U20 world history in front of a roaring crowd makes for a good Saturday. The future Florida Gator clocked 32.64 in the 300m, tying Brian Herron, who ran that his junior year at Lakeside (Ga.). Horton-Mims won by over a quarter of a second and is undefeated this year, winning five races across three distances.
Tommy Latham, VE Trck Club-GA (Ga.): There's a new U.S. No. 1 in the mile, and it's the North Carolina signee himself. In front of a sold-out show at The Armory, Latham ran 4:00.94 to break the tape. He came through 800m in 2:00.7, before throwing down a 59.37 bell lap, the only one in the field to do so. The senior is now No. 11 all-time and could become the 24th high schooler to break 4:00 in the mile, and the seventh to do so indoors if he can shave off just under a second.
Owen Kelley, Bentonville (Ark.): Before he heads East to Ole Miss, Kelley took a trip up North to break in the University of Missouri's re-vamped Hearnes Center. Kelley opted for the 3200m, his second race of the year, coming away with the win in 8:55.89. That's the fastest time in the country this year and a new state indoor record. It's also the second-fastest time in state history including outdoors. Kelley pulled away from the field just after 2k, building an 11-second gap by the time he crossed the line.
Joshua Cooper, Willow Spring (N.C.): Just a sophomore, Cooper is already giving experienced seniors a run for their money. At the 117th Millrose Games, Cooper finished third in the 500m, running 1:01.92. That mark was more than good enough for a state record and is the third-fastest sophomore time in history. Cooper is also the seventh-fastest all-time regardless of class, and less than half of a second shy of the top five.
