Over the weekend Stevens Point (WI) freshman Roisin Willis ran one of the fastest freshman indoor 800m times ever at the MileSplit / SPIRE Scholastic Showcase. Roisin ran a 2:06.91 for the second-fastest time in the nation this year.
Roisin's race and Athing Mu's U.S. No. 1 time of 2:03.98 got us thinking about where the 800m could go this year. Mu is a junior and Roisin is a freshman, and both athlete are showing potential that they could rewrite the all-time marks for the 800m.
Related Link: Just How Good Was Roisin Willis' 800 This Weekend? This Good
Top 800m Times By Year:
2015 -- Sammy Watson (NY) 2:08.13
2016 -- Sammy Watson (NY) 2:05.11
2017 -- Sammy Watson (NY) 2:01.78*
2018 -- Athing Mu (NJ) 2:06.59
2019 -- Athing Mu (NJ) 2:03.98**
In the past five years, there have been some pretty quick 800m runners to come through the high school ranks. Just a few seasons ago, 2017 Rush Henrietta Sperry graduate Sammy Watson set the indoor national record at 2:01.78 when she placed sixth in the pro field at the 110th NYRR Millrose Games.
Watson also ran two other top 10 all-time indoor marks between her junior and senior year.
Over the last five years, Mu and Watson have been the girls to beat in the 800m. Although they are the athletes leading the rankings, times as a whole have gotten faster over the last five years.
The number of 800m Times Sub 2:10:
2015 -- 6
2016 -- 9
2017 -- 7
2018 -- 8
2019 -- 6**
Many of the top times in the nation come towards the end of the season, and this year there are already six girls who have run sub 2:10, which ties the entire year for 2015 and is just one less than 2017's total. The last time to make the top 50 this year so far is 2:16.67. Every year for the past five years the last time in the top 50 has gotten faster.
Last Time in Top 50 By Year:
2015 -- 2:15.71
2016 -- 2:15.68
2017 -- 2:15.23
2018 -- 2:14.91
Take a look at the top 50 times from the past five years in the links below.
Note
*= National Record
**=So far this year
