MU WINS NEW BALANCE NATIONAL 800 IN SHOWDOWN BETWEEN N.J. SOPHOMORE
STARS
In one of the most eagerly awaited showdowns of the season between a pair of New Jersey sophomore stars, Athing Mu of the Trenton Track Club ran a US#1 and personal best 2:06.59 to capture the girls 800-meter title on Sunday at the New Balance National Indoor Championships.
Sophomore Victoria Vanriele of Governor Livingston High School finished third with an indoor PR of 2:08.31. Nikki Merrill of Portsmouth in Rhode Island was second with a PR of 2:07.27.
Mu also won the Emerging Elite 400 on Friday at the New Balance Nationals in a meet record 54.98, which is NJ #1 and US #15 this season.
Mu's 2:06.59 is a state sophomore record and No. 3 in N.J. state indoor history, and Vanriele's 2:08.31 is No. 5 all-time on the N.J. indoor list. The N.J. state indoor record of 2:04.12 was set by Ajee' Wilson of Neptune at the 2012 Millrose Games. Joetta Clark of Columbia is No. 2 all-time with the 2:06.00 she ran in 1980.
It was the first match-up of the season between Mu, who doesn't compete for her high school (Trenton), and Vanriele, who has won the last three N.J. Meet of Champions titles in the 800 (two indoors/one outdoors).
The last time the two met was last June when Mu was second (2:07.70) behind national 800 indoor record holder Sammy Watson (2:05.70), and Vanriele was fourth in 2:08.23 in the 800 at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor Championships.
Girls Championship 800 Meter Results
1 Mu, Athing 20 Trenton, NJ 2:06.59 3 2 Merrill, Nikki 19 Portsmouth, RI 2:07.27 3 3 Vanriele, Victoria 20 Berkeley Heights, N 2:08.31 3 4 Seeland, Esther 18 State College, PA 2:08.41 3 5 Friborg, Samantha 18 Acton, MA 2:08.76 3 6 Rose, Michaela 21 Suffolk, VA 2:09.73 1 7 Philippides, Emily 18 Greenwich, CT 2:09.82 3 8 Sessions, Jade 18 Carmel, NY 2:11.45 1 9 Mitchell, Kate 18 Lynnfield, MA 2:11.60 1 10 McNeil, Nyjari 18 Reisterstown, MD 2:11.80 2 11 Sumner, Brynne 19 Woodstock, GA 2:11.96 1 12 Worrel, Megan 18 Troy, MI 2:12.10 3 13 Sabbakhan, Alahna 19 Washington, DC 2:12.96 2 14 Salek, Maddie 18 Oakdale, PA 2:13.55 2 15 Helder, Melanie 18 Hudsonville, MI 2:14.00 1 16 Coney, Margaret 20 Grand Rapids, MI 2:14.96 1 17 Steely, Sydney 18 Hoover, AL 2:15.05 1 18 Lewin, Maureen 19 Rockville Centre, N 2:15.59 3 19 Hock, Maggie 19 Exeter, NH 2:15.91 2 20 Giesing, Izzy 18 Bradford, VT 2:17.22 1 21 Kokernak, Amelia 18 Niskayuna, NY 2:18.24 2 22 Davi, Ryan 21 Bernardsville, NJ 2:19.16 2 23 Dotson, Victoria 20 Boradhead, KY 2:27.22 2
