The COROS Distance Athlete Of The Week (4/13-4/18)

COROS Distance Athlete Of The Week

Jason Creasy

Apr 21, 2026

* Cardinal Gibbons's Kaitlyn Estep is one of two Week 4 COROS Distance Athletes of the Week

Photo Credit: Doug Hague/MileSplit

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Watch Michael Ferguson run 4:04.82 for a US#2 Mile at the ASICS Carolina Distance Carnival

Michael Ferguson, North Buncombe (NC)

Class of 2026

A star was born at the ASICS Carolina Distance Carnival in North Buncombe senior Michael Ferguson who dropped massive personal best winning both the 3200m on Friday and Mile on Saturday against loaded fields. Ferguson had been amongst the top athletes in North Carolina the last two years with a 1600m personal best of 4:08.91 and 3200m personal best of 9:01.23 from his junior year that were long overdue for an update.

Ferguson was in a field with 8 sub 9 3200m runners on Friday that was taken out hard by Daniel Skandera (Warrior, AL) who crossed the halfway mark by himself in 4:22.3. Ferguson sat in front of the rest of the field who were close together four seconds back 4:26.7. The field was battling for position over the final 1600m while trying to close the gap on Skandera who remained out front. With two laps to go Skandera held a 4 second lead over the field, but Ferguson was coming. He closed the gap to 2.5 seconds at the bell before throwing down a 58.3 final 400m passing Skandera down the homestretch to win in a massive PR of 8:44.7 with Skandera running 8:46.53 for second. 16 boys in the field broke 9 for 3200m, but Ferguson was a standout star with a 17 second personal best.

Ferguson would double back against a 16 man field ranging from 4:04-4:09 a day later. Not certain how his legs would hold off after a fast 3200m the night before, he settled in 6th for the majority of the race. They went through 809m in 2:04.7 as the field strung out. Ferguson crossed with one lap to go in 3:07.1 in 6th place, but less than a second off the lead in what was going to be a battle over the last lap. He surged out front down the backstretch and opened up his lead on the field. Riley Kiziah (Hoggard, NC) and Brooks Barbee (Christ School, NC) would move with him as well, but could not reel in Ferguson who closed in 57.6 to run a 4:04.82 for a US#2 Mile.

Results

Boys One Mile Run Finals

Place	Athlete		Team	Mark	Heat
1	Michael Ferguson	12	North Buncombe	4:04.82	39
2	Brooks Barbee	11	Christ School	4:06.04	39
3	Riley Kiziah	11	Hoggard	4:06.07	39
4	Matthew Dodds	12	IMG Academy	4:06.89	39
5	Lucas Tanner	12	DeForest	4:07.28	39
6	Malachi Burnett	12	Creekview	4:07.40	39
7	Jackson Tuck	12	Greer Middle College Charter	4:07.71	38
8	Owen Clemons	12	Unattached - TN	4:08.01	39

Watch Kaitlyn Estep run a US#2 Mile at the ASICS Carolina Distance Carnival of 4:36.56

Kaitlyn Estep, Cardinal Gibbons (NC)

Class of 2028

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Similar to Ferguson, Kaitlyn Estep (Cardinal Gibbons, NC) was a double champ at the ASICS Carolina Distance Carnival taking down both the 800m and Mile field. Estep held best in the two events of 2:06.10 and 4:38.79 from New Balance Indoor Nationals as she emerged on the national scene with a third and fourth place finish respectively.

The 800m was on Friday with the majority of the field having sub 2:10 credentials including Aurora Bertelsen Del Solar (IMG Academy), Celia Schulte (Hillard Davidson, OH), Caitlin Kasten (Marvin Ridge, NC) and Mary Nesmith (Marietta, GA). The pace would get our a little slower than the field expected with Estep getting up front early and taking them through in 1:04.8. Bertelsen Del Solar and Mackenzie Winning (IMG Academy) would fight to catch Estep, but she'd close in 1:02.3 and hold the lead position through the line running an outdoor PB of 2:07.27.

The major test was Saturday in the Mile against Lily Alder (Timpview, UT) who was opening her outdoor season, but was the Brooks PR Mile Champ as a junior and run 4:37.35 for the Mile. The pace would get out honest this time with Estep, Alder and Danielle Graham (IMG Academy) out in 2:19.6 through 809m. The trio would stick together over the third lap with Estep leading, but Alder and Graham on her shoulder as they crossed in 3:31.3. Estep would hold lead position and pull ahead over the final 400m closing in 1:05.2 to run a personal best and meet record of 4:36.56 good for a new US#2 Mile. Alder would run 4:38.71 and Graham 4:40.16 to finish second and third.

Results

Girls One Mile Run Finals

Place	Athlete		Team	Mark	Heat
1	Kaitlyn Estep	10	Cardinal Gibbons	4:36.56	21
2	Lily Alder	12	Timpview	4:38.71	21
3	Danielle Graham	12	IMG Academy	4:40.16	21
4	Georgy Helmers	12	E.E. Smith	4:45.61	21
5	Elle Dawson	10	Ragsdale	4:45.97	21
6	Mary Nesmith	12	Marietta High School	4:46.31	21
7	Cali Townsend	10	Watauga	4:46.55	21
8	Elaina Pierce	12	Charlottesville	4:47.14	21

Note:

This is a series that will run every week on MileSplit. We will be naming our COROS Distance Athlete Of The Week each week as we finish out the indoor and season and move into outdoor.