Ajee' Wilson of Academy of Allied Health & Science.
Photo courtesy of John Nepolitan
Ajee' Wilson, a senior who attends
Academy of Allied Health & Science (Neptune, N.J.), has a legitimate chance to break the national record for the girls 800-meter run this year, according to several track experts.
However, there's just one catch - she'll probably have to face older women to lower the record of 2 minutes, 0.07 seconds held by Kim Gallagher of Upper Dublin (Fort Washington, Pa.) since 1982.
Veteran writer Mike Kennedy of Track & Field News told MaxPreps, "She's probably the finest 800-meter runner we've had in recent history. If she can get in competition with runners who have run under 2 minutes, she'll have a great opportunity to break the national record."
She has the credentials, because last year she won the World Youth Championship in a sizzling 2:02.64, which led the nation. As a sophomore, she turned in a brilliant 2:00.59 anchor leg on a sprint medley relay at the New Balance Nationals in Greensboro, N.C.
Ajee' Wilson
Photo courtesy of John Nepolitan
Her easygoing demeanor could be a slight drawback when seeking record times, though.
The 5-foot-8 Florida State University recruit admits, "I don't let things get to me. I don't get mad and stuff. I really chill. I don't live for the times. I run to the competition. That's one reason why my coach wants to get me into some professional races this season."
Her private coach, Derek Thompson, calls her "the most laid-back person I've ever met. Based on her ability as a runner, she doesn't know how good she is. She is one of the top juniors in the world in the 800. She's not scratching the surface. There's a whole lot left."
Wilson started running for the Jersey Shore Track Club in Neptune when she was 9 years old. Over the next few years she ran several events, but always had the most success in the 800.
When she was a freshman, she had to run under the banner of Neptune High - just across the street - because her school did not have a track team. Wilson, who carries a 3.5 GPA, explained, "We have a lot of medical-based courses. There are a lot of internships at Jersey Shore Hospital. We can shadow professors for a half day. It's so much fun. I want to be a physical therapist."
As a freshman, she won the Meet of Champions 800 indoor crown in 2:10.45 and the NSIC Nationals freshman indoor mile in 5:07.56. Outdoors, she set national age-group records in the AAU 800 (2:07.08) and the 1,500 (4:34.51).
Her sophomore year she dominated New Jersey by winning the Meet of Champions indoors and outdoors (PR of 2:04.94), climaxed by being named Gatorade State Player of the Year. She also won the outdoor Junior Nationals 800 in 2:05.74 and placed fifth at the World Junior Championships in 2:04.18, which led the nation and at that time was a personal record.
"That's how I got my puppy," she said. "If I ran 2:04 at the state, I would get a puppy. His name is Zeus."
Her mother, Tonya, who had to produce the dog, confessed, "I thought she was not going to run 2:04. She doesn't go for records. She just does what she has to to win. She just doesn't believe in getting worked up over something she has no control over. (When the race starts), she puts on another hat. I don't want to say she's a beast, but it's all about business. The competitor in her comes out. (After the race is over) she goes back to being a happy-go-lucky kid."
Thompson began coaching Wilson during her junior year.
"I knew she was good - just super talented," he recalled when he first watched her run.
But there still was work to be done.
He explained, "Basically, I had to teach her how to run a race. There are different forms - coming from behind or being up front. She has to understand how other runners go about it. At this point she has to be a student. She liked to lead. Her stamina was more adapted to track workouts. We wanted her to do more longer runs. They can run fast, but can they run fast for three days? There are a lot of trials. We had to build up her stamina."
Wilson had a banner junior year. She won the New Balance Indoor Nationals in 2:06.17 and the World Youth Championships in France in a personal-record 2:02.64, which is No. 6 all-time. The payoff was being named USATF National Youth Athlete of the Year.
She missed the state meet as a junior after spraining her ankle in a neighborhood soccer game. She believes, though, that it was a blessing is disguise because it gave her several extra weeks to prepare for international competition.
Surprisingly, Wilson revealed, "The mile is my favorite race. I think if I focused on it, I'd be a lot better."
Thompson concedes, "That (the mile) is what she likes, but at this present time she is way better at the 800. She could be national champion in the mile or 1500, but what chance would she have qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the 1500? She's closer to being a pro in the 800."
Wilson is coming off an outstanding performance during the New Balance Nationals indoor meet at the Armory in New York City. She won her specialty in 2:06.58, just nosing out super sophomore Mary Cain from
Bronxville (N.Y.), who was timed in 2:07.26.
Her big target this spring is the World Youth Championships, but she definitely has an outside shot at the London Olympics. After all, the harder she gets pushed the faster she runs.
