Brooks PR Invitational 2014

June and July coverage of PA Youth, High School and Collegiate

Here's your opportunity to contribute something to the science behind how we do things in track and field!

Being given the opportunity to attend the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational as a student reporter was hands down the greatest experience of my life.

Millie Paladino solidified her standing as one of the nation's best distance runners with a 2014 season to remember. Her final race at the Brooks PR Invitational ended with another national-class time from the West Virginia recruit.

It is not quite XC season yet! Thanks to Brooks, a select few high school athletes get one more time to PR and achieve those goals they set out to do four years ago. This year Virginia will have five competitors competing and chasing that ultimate goal. Learn about them and stay up to date with all that happens here. 

Coming down from elevation twice in the past two weeks to run mile races in big-time meets in the adidas Grand Prix and Brooks PR Invitational, the conversion calculator for Utah state champion Sarah Feeny is very simple when running at sea level. Sub 4:40. Feeny was able to run away from a field of state champions and All-Americans at the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday in a winning time of 4:39.42 for the Ogden High School senior.

The class of 2015 is stacked deep with talented distance runners coming back to return to a national stage that they have already been competing at including Matthew Maton from Summit High School in Oregon, who followed up his 4:04 mile PR at the Dream Mile with a 4:06.32 mile victory at the Brooks PR Invitational. 

After leading last weekend for the first 600 meters of the championship boys 800 meter race at the New Balance Nationals and ultimately finishing fourth in 1:49.36, Derek Holdsworth from Lafayette High School in Virginia took a different approach into his 800 race at the Brooks PR Invitational and sat back for the first 600 before using a slingshot move coming off the final turn to take a 1:49.98 win against some of the country's top middle distance runners.

Olivia Baker did her best to try and run her first sub 53 seconds in the open 400 of the season, but windy conditions at the Brooks PR Invitational made it less ideal to hit that time. However, the Stanford bound senior from Maplewood, New Jersey did have the strength to muster a dominant win and season best time of 53.26 at Renton Memorial Stadium on Saturday in Seattle. 

Eleven Floridians headed to the Pacific Northwest to test their skills against the top runners in the country at the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational. After soaking in all Seattle had to offer Thursday and Friday and mingling with other athletes it was down to business when they took to the track on Saturday. After winning the Dream 100 in New York City a week prior, East Ridge's Kaylin Whitney continued to tear up her competition. 

Christian Coleman from Our Lady of Mercy in Georgia was overlooked for an invitation to the Dream 100, but made the most of his opportunity and invite to the Brooks PR Invitational in winning the 100 meter dash in a swift 10.29 clocking against some of the nation's elite sprinters.

In one of the most anticipated matchups for the Brooks PR Invitational with the top two ranked hurdlers in the country between Isaiah Moore from North Carolina and Misana Viltz from California, the race turned out to be a dramatic thriller with Viltz getting out to a quick start, but stumbling through the last two hurdles to allow Moore to close cleanly for the win.

MileSplit was busy all weekend in along grabbing athlete video interviews at the Brooks PR Invitational interviewing virtually all of the top 2 finishers from Saturday's races, while getting over 3 dozen athletes for interviews prior to the event on Thursday and Friday. Hear these athletes stories on their trip, experiences and races this weekend at the Brooks PR Invitational!

Known for setting a torrid early pace in her races this spring, Bethan Knights went after the national record and self-rabbitted herself into making history at the Brooks PR Invitational as she responded to a last lap challenge from sophomore Hannah Debalsi to claim the win and historically even greater achievement in setting a new US high school girls national record in the two mile at 9:53.54.

An easy way to describe the junior year for Grant Fisher is "all he does is win", because he seems to win every major race and top field presented for him including his last signature victory in the Brooks PR 2 mile with a PR of 8:51.

Watch the Northport boys from New York take down the best from the homestate of Washington at the Brooks PR Invitational and just miss breaking the national record in the 4xmile relay with their US #2 all-time performance of 17:06.92.

Race videos from the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational.

Devonte Lacy the senior from Klein Oak finished his career off in style winning his last High School Meet. It was not just any meet it was the Brooks PR Meet which features some of the best athletes in the US.

Dior Hall takes girls 100 hurdles in 13.32 to hold off Jasmine Quinn (13.37).

Race videos from the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational.

Photo gallery by Gary Paulson from the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational.

Complete results from the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational held on Saturday, June 21st at Renton Memorial Stadium in Seattle, Washington.

Olivia Baker continues her high school farewell tour winning the Brooks PR Invitational 400m with a strong season best time of 53.26. Video interview and race video included!

Katie Rainsberger works into the strong position early in the mile. Photo by Scott Knoblich.

Amelia Paladino runs 4:46.69 in the mile at one of the top post-season invitationals.

MileSplit and Flotrack will be on-site with coverage of the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational this weekend in Seattle, which will be held outdoors for the first time bringing the fastest high school kids in the country together for an elite post-season meet. 

All Grant Fisher does is win meets when they matter the most and the best are on the starting line with him. The Foot Locker Nationals cross country champion, New Balance Nationals indoor mile champion, and adidas Dream Mile champion in the Grand Blanc High School (MI) junior Fisher will look to win a Brooks PR two mile title on Saturday with a field including all sub 9 minute guys.

In a pre-meet interview before the Brooks PR Invitational, we ask Alexa Efraimson the big question that everyone is wondering. Will she turn pro? She answers.

We preview the three girls distance events at the Brooks PR Invitational. If you can’t make it out to Renton Memorial Stadium at 1:30pm Pacific Time on Saturday, June 21st, then you better be watching online on Flotrack.org (no subscription required).

We will quickly preview the distance events for the boys at the Brooks PR Invitational. If you can’t make it to Renton Memorial Stadium at 1:30pm Pacific Time on Saturday, June 21st, then be sure to watch online, right here on Flotrack.org (no subscription required).

Former Classical star focusing on World Youth Trials next month.  

Cerake Geberkidane is not only an accomplished runner, but apparently a skilled video game player as well as he showcased his gaming talents on Thursday at the Brooks PR Invitational. Geberkidane, who was dominant this past cross country season nationally and won a total of four Colorado state titles in his senior year, is running the two mile at Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday and looking to best his 8:50 3200 performance from Arcadia. 

After two fast and PR dropping races in a row between the New Jersey Meet of Champions (1:49.08) and New Balance Nationals (1:48.78) in the 800, Joe White of DePaul Catholic is looking to keep that trend going at the Brooks PR Invitational against more of the nation's very best at the middle distance. 

Bethan Knights comes into the Brooks PR Invitational with the fastest time and only sub 10 runner in the girls two mile field and two weeks after winning the California State Meet in setting a torrid pace solo (on national record pace until late) in oppressive heat. With much more ideal weather racing conditions and the nation's best to push her along to potentially a real chase of the two mile national record, Knights is excited to see what she can do on Saturday in Seattle at the Brooks PR Invitational. 

Ariana Washington of Long Beach Poly comes to the Brooks PR Invitational with the fastest times in the girls 100 and 200 nationally. The California state champion and World Youth medalist Washington is not done lowering her times as she looks to make another drop and pick up the win this weekend in Seattle at Brooks PR to continue her build up to the World Youth Championships in Eugene next month.

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Banneker High School quarter-miler Ryan Clark. Clark, was second at the Georgia Olympics this year. In 2013, he was the 400 meter champion at the Georgia Olympics and a member of team USA at the IAAF World Youth championships where he earned a silver medal. A standout 200 meter runner as well having already broken 21 seconds. He will compete in the 400and brings with him a personal best of 46.33 to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle.

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Piper High School sprinter Andre Ewers. Ewers, a South Plains College signee, was the Florida 4A runner-up in both the 100 and 200 meter dash. He was also second at the Golden South Classic in the 100 meters, and finished fourth at the Dream 100 last weekend. He will compete in the 100 meter dash and brings a US#10 time and personal best of 10.31 to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle.

Devante Lacy, a senior at Klein Oak High School in Texas, comes into this Saturday's Brooks PR Invitational with the nation's fastest time at 400 meters with his 46.10 performance at the UIL State Championships in early May at the University of Texas in Austin. Lacy is not content with that PR performance from Texas State Meet over 6 weeks ago as he has been training and preparing for this trip to Seattle looking to run his first and the country's first sub 46 second in the open 400 this outdoor season. Watch Behind The PR: Devante Lacy on Flotrack's Brooks PR Invitational meet hub here.

Vote on who you think will win the elite high school races fielded for the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday. Voting closes Saturday, June 2st at 4 PM ET/noon PT.

The California state champion and US #2 ranked Misana Viltz has been one of the nation's fastest all spring long in the 110 meter hurdles including major wins at the Arcadia Invitational and Mt. SAC Relays. His victories in those meets built momentum leading into his 13.47 personal best victory in the CIF Finals two weeks ago. Facing state champions from Texas, Georgia, Florida, Arizona, and Washington this weekend at Renton Memorial Stadium in Seattle on Saturday for the Brooks PR Invitational, Viltz is hoping to regain his US #1 ranking in the 110 hurdles and clock a new PR.

Haley Dorris is one of three sub 4:50 milers on the Great Oak girls track team. She and teammate Destiny Collins will be making the trip to Seattle this weekend to compete in the Brooks PR Invitational with Dorris jumping in the mile and Collins in the two mile.  Dorris earned her spot to Brooks PR automatically back in late March taking the mile at the Azusa Meet of Champions with a 4:52 win, but has since improved that time dropping down to a 4:44 1600 in CIF Southern Section Masters meet last month. 

Aaron Templeton finished 7th in last year's Brooks PR Invitational when it was held indoors with a 9:08 performance. After running an 8:54 3200 meter time trial cross country and dipping under 9 minutes indoors in the 3200, the 2013 Foot Locker South cross country is aiming to finish off his outdoor season with one great race and a new PR in the two mile at the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday in Seattle.

​After staying in-state for competition during the indoor season, Brianna Schwartz has been taking her talents out of the state to face the nation's best in the post-season after winning another Pennsylvania state title in the 1600 meter run. After running in the adidas Dream Mile last week, Brianna Schwartz is looking to see what she can do against competition in the two mile at the Brooks PR Invitational after running a 10:10 3200 meter solo effort earlier in the outdoor season. 

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Kinkaid School middle-distance standout Raevyn Rogers. Rogers, a University of Oregon signee,  was third at the IAAF World Youth Championships and recently won the New Balance Outdoor Nationals crown in the 800 meters. She will compete in the two-lapper  and brings with her a top five national and personal best time of of 2:04.88 to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle. 

Video preview from Flotrack for the 2014  Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday. More in-depth meet preview to be posted tomorrow. Check out final start lists of entrants and more on the Brooks PR on Flotrack, which MileSplit will be assisting in on-site meet coverage.

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is San Lorenzo Valley distance runner Anna Maxwell. Maxwell, a University of Washington signee will have the chance to showcase her skills on her future track. On the track, she was the 2013 CIF State Track & Field Champion at 1600 meters and the 2014 state runner-up at 800 meters. Maxwell was fourth in the 3200 meters at Arcadia with one of the top times nationally, 10:04.81. She was the 2013  CIF California State Cross Country Champion and finished fifth at Foot Locker Nationals. This will mark her second time at the event. Last year she was third in the one mile run. She will compete in the mile once again this year and brings with her a PR of 4:43.27 to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle. 

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Leon High School distance runner Sukhi Khosla. In the fall Khosla broke the fifteen minute barrier for cross (5k) when he won the FSU Invitational/Pre-State in 14:59.45. He continued that success into the outdoor track and field season winning both the 1600 and 3200 meter at the Florida 3A state championships. Khosla will compete in the mile and brings a US#1 time and personal best of of 4:05.96 for 1600 meters to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle.

The nation's fastest will be in Seattle this weekend for the Brooks PR Invitational including US #1 ranked 100 meter dash sprinters Ariana Washington from California and Trentavis Friday from North Carolina. Check out the full and final start list of entrants for the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational below!

Another piece to the Brooks PR Puzzle is middle distance runner Javon Patterson of Boyd Anderson High School. Patterson is a two-time Florida 4A state runner-up at 800 meters. He will compete in the 800 and brings with him a PR of 1:52.04 to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle. 

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Boys and Girls quarter-miler Richard Rose. Rose, a class of 2015 standout in the state of New York, won New Balance Indoor Nationals as well as the prestigious Loucks Games. This past weekend he finished fourth at New Balance Outdoor Nationals in the 400 and was third in the 200 meter dash. He will compete in the 400 meter dash and brings with him a personal best and US#3 time of of 46.38 to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle. 

Another piece to the Brooks PR Puzzle is American Heritage sprinter Deja Parrish. Parrish, a Clemson signee, is a six-time 2A  Florida state qualifier in the 200 meter dash. She is the 2013 state champion and has finished second twice. This will be her second trip to Seattle as she was second in the 2013 Brooks PR Invitational. She brings with her a PR of 55.06 in the 400 meter dash to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle. 

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Mt. Spokane distance runner John Dressel. Dressel was third in both the 1600 and 3200 meter runs at the 2A-4A Washington State meet this year. On the cross country course, he was second at Foot Locker Nationals and finished 12th at the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country International Challenge. Competing in his home state, Dressel will toe the line in the 3200 meters and brings with him a personal best of 8:57.00 (set at the Arcadia Invitational) to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle.

Plenty of discussion has been generated through various media outlets for track & field including articles by Flotrack and Runner's World over the past few days on whether or not Alexa Efraimson will turn pro for her senior year of high school and take a similar path as another high school female distance running phenom Mary Cain did this past year in becoming a paid and supported professional runner during her senior year of high school after essentially running a pro circuit schedule of races while training under Nike Oregon Project coach Alberto Salazar as a high school junior but keeping her amateur status.

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Jaalen Jones of Thompson High School. Jones, a University of Miami signee, won both the 100 and 200 meter dash at the Alabama large school state championships. He was also a member of Team USA at the IAAF World Youth Championships in 2013 and brings with him a PR of 10.35 in the 100 meter dash to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle. 

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Marquette High School distance runner Noah Kauppila. Kauppila, a Princeton signee, was a 2013 Foot Locker National finalist in cross country. This outdoor season he was third at the MSHSAA Class 3 & 4 State Track & Field Championships in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:11.32. He will compete in the the two mile and brings with him a 3200 meter best of 8:54.45 to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle. 

Katie Rainsberger aims to give the mile field at Saturday's Brooks PR Invitational some difficulties. Colorado Track XC file photo.

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Gilbert High School distance runner Lauren Ellsworth. Ellsworth, a two-time AIA Division 1 state champion in the 800 meters brings with her a top ten national time and PR of 2:07.61 to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle.  

Jessica Van Cleave from St. Johns, Fla. and Dylan Scott from Ninety Six as each has been selected as the two winners from this year's Brooks PR Student Reporter Contest as their video submissions and reporting skills have earned them an all-expenses paid trip by Brooks to join the Flotrack and MileSplit crew as part of our coverage team at the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday

The next big HS Track & Field Inviational will take place in Seattle this Saturday, June 21st at Renton Memorial Stadium. You can view the meet live on Flotrack here.

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Chiles High School hurdler Justin Cromartie. Cromartie was the 3A state champion in Florida in the 110 meter hurdles and third in the 300 meter hurdles in 2014. He will compete in the 110 meter hurdles and brings with him a personal best of 13.90 to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle. 

  In an effort to generate even greater crowd support for the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational on June 21st, which for the first time ever will be held outdoors at Renton Memorial Stadium in Seattle, local track fans who make the trip on Saturday to watch many of the nation's fastest high schoolers compete head to head will be treated to free Brooks technical t-shirts for the first 1000 spectators and also get to watch a workout of the Brooks Beasts club professional runners prior to the meet on the track. Find out more on the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational on the meet page here, MileSplit and Flotrack will be on-site with coverage and providing a live stream of the event.

Summer vacation has a different meaning for Andre Ewers. After competing at the state meet and Golden South Classic in Florida, he began a cross country road trip to compete against the nation’s best runners and improve his track and field resume. Last week he headed to Albuquerque,New Mexico for the Great Southwest Classic. This week he traveled from home base in Fort Lauderdale to New York City, home of Saturday’s Adidas Grand Prix and the Dream 100 which the Piper class of 2014 star received a golden ticket to attend. Ewers says the last couple of weeks have been amazing.

Last year, Kaylin Whitney became the first freshman to ever be invited to the Adidas Dream 100. She placed fifth and carried that momentum into the 2014 season where she picked up her third and fourth state championships, winning both the 100 and 200 for consecutive years. Recently, the soon to be East Ridge junior competed against a professional field and posted a US#2 100 meters of 11.30 and US#1 200 meters of 22.80w, one of the fastest ever all conditions by a high schooler. We caught up with Whitney as she prepared for a double dose of postseason meets; the Adidas Dream 100 and the Brooks PR Invitational. Watch her workout which consisted of block starts, 20 meter starts, and 60 and 80 meter runs to work on top end speed and check out her interview about her 2014 season and upcoming schedule!

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Chandler High School sprinter Ky Westbrook. Westbrook, a University of Southern California signee, is an eleven time Arizona state champion. In 2014, she claimed four golds winning the 110 meter hurdles, 100 and 200 meter dash, as well as the shot put. She is the 2013 Adidas Dream 100 champion and IAAF World Youth Champion She was third in the Dream 100 this past weekend in New York City. Westbrook will compete in the 100 meter dash and brings with her a personal best of 11.33 to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle. 

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Fort Dorchester hurdler Jasmine Quinn. Quinn is an eight time South Carolina state champion with victories in the 100 hurdles, 100, 200, and long jump in both 2013 and 2014. She will compete in the 100m hurdles and brings with her a personal best of 13.55 to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle. 

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Summit distance runner Matthew Maton. Maton is a three-time Oregon state champion in the 3000 meters and two-time state champion in the 1500 meters. A stellar distance runner, he placed third at the Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships.  He will compete in the mile and brings with him a PR of 3:49.38 for 1500 meters to the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle.    

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is O'Fallon distance runner Patrick Perrier. Perrier, a Stanford University signee, recently won the Illinois State Championship in the 1600 meters. He brings with him a US#4 4:06.70 mile posted at the Festival of Miles to the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle and is hoping to dip as much under 4:05 as possible.

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Birmingham Seaholm High School (MI) distance runner Audrey Belf. The four-time Michigan state champion and sub 17 minute 5k runner, the junior Belf will bring her US #16 10:16 3200 PR to the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle. Belf has already run under 10:20 three times this spring in her homestate of Michigan and is hoping the trip to the Northwest in two weeks will be the PR race opportunity for her to venture under 10:10 for the first time.

Another piece to the Brooks PR puzzle is Lafayette (VA) middle distance runner Derek Holdsworth. An indoor national champ indoors in the 800 and Virginia state champion in several events and relays, Holdsworth will bring his US #9 ranked 1:50.49 800 meter PR to the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st in Seattle.

Congratulations to Jessica Van Cleave from St. Johns, Florida and Dylan Scott from Ninety-Six, South Carolina as each has been selected as the two winners from this year's Brooks PR Student Reporter Contest as their video submissions and reporting skills have earned them an all-expenses paid trip by Brooks to join the Flotrack and MileSplit crew as part of our coverage team at the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st!

The final video submissions are in for this year's Brooks PR Student Reporter Contest! Who do you think made the best video and is the most skilled reporter/commentator to deserve an all expenses paid trip to Seattle, Washington on June 21st to join MileSpit and Flotrack in covering the fastest kids in the country at the the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational?!

An updated start list of invited/accepted entries for this year's Brooks PR Invitational, scheduled for Saturday, June 21st at Renton Stadium in Seattle, Washington. These fields are still far from being finalized yet! Flotrack and MileSplit will be on-site with live coverage of this premier post-season event with Brooks bringing the best of the best together in US high school track & field. More information on the Brooks PR Invitational on the meet home page found on Flotrack.

High school track student-athletes! You still have until Thursday, May 22nd to submit your videos to put yourself in the running to be selected as the potential winner for this year's Brooks PR Student Reporter Contest! Check out some of the most recent video submissions below! Who can produce the best video showing off their reporting skills to win the contest?!

Hurry!!!! The Brooks PR Invitational is almost here and time is running out for your chance to win the Student Reporter Contest. What in it for the winner?

Brooks is bringing together the fastest high school athletes from around the country to compete at the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday, June 21st at Renton Stadium in Seattle, Washington. Alexa Efraimson is one of those nation's elite coming to Brooks PR as the high school national leader in the mile from indoors and 3200 outdoors. In a "Behind The PR" video feature on Flotrack, the 4:32 miler and 9:55 3200 runner Efraimson shares her excitement and anticipation for returning to the Brooks PR meet with Brooks Beasts professional distance runner Katie Mackey (4:04 1500/15:04 5K) on a training run. 

Eligible to all high school students! Upload a 60 second video commentating on anything by May 22nd via the form below. Two winners will be picked by Brooks for an all-expenses paid trip to Seattle, where the student reporter will work with Flotrack and Milesplit to commentate the Brooks PR Invitational at the Renton Memorial Stadium.

The iconic Mt. SAC Relays are nearly here, and in preparing for some of the most impressive races of the outdoor season, we're introducing the Brooks PR Mile! The fastest two boys and the fastest two girls in the mile run at Mt. SAC will automatically qualify for the 2014 Brooks PR Invitational.

The Mt. SAC boys and girls mile races will now have more on the line than just bragging rights. Dubbed the Brooks PR Mile, the top two finishers from each race will earn invites to the Brooks PR Invitational this June 21st in Seattle.