First it was Hanne Thomsen blazing the indoor boards to a California track and field record. Now, it is Sadie Engelhardt adding her name atop another list.
What is it with this superstar sophomore distance runners?
On Friday at the New Balance Nationals Indoor in Boston, Thomsen ran a state-record 2-mile time of 10:07.06, placing second in a race where junior Ellie Shea of Massachusetts ran the No. 4 time all-time. Thomsen, from Montgomery (NC) HS, ranks No. 4 all-time in the sophomore class.
On Sunday, at the venue called The TRACK at New Balance, Engelhardt won the mile in 4:38.65 to establish a new national class record eclipsing 4:40.01 previous sophomore class best set last year by Shea. Engelhardt, from Ventura (SS) HS, set the freshman class record last winter at 4:37.40, which is the CA overall record and ranks U.S. No. 6 all-time. Sunday's time sits No. 10 all-time.
In the race, Tatum David (Richland County (IL) Olney) did the work through 1,400 meters, but coming off the curve down the final stretch was Engelhardt, taking the win in 4:38.65.
Engelhardt sat just off David's shoulder for nearly the entire race, but surged in the last meters to grab the win ahead of David in second in 4:38.80. David was in the Thomsen's two-mile race but wasn't able to finish after falling off the track.
Shea, who won both the 2-mile and 5000m, also had a strong close in the mile as she finished her third and final event of NBNI with a bronze medal in 4:40.76. A total of seven girls dipped under 4:45 to make for a very quick field.
MileSplit National Writer Ashley Tysiac contributed to this report.
Photos by Shawn Conlon
Interview by Olivia Ekpone