Loveys Smashes State Record In 3200m at Morris Meet

Loveys right after her historic race. 

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Results

Abby Loveys produced one of greastest peformances in state history when the senior at Randolph took down a 36-year-old state record by running 10:10.24 to win the 3,200-meter run at the Morris County Championships on Wednesday in Boonton. 

That broke the state record of 10:12.8 set in 1983 by Michelle Rowen of Washington Township, and is also faster than the converted time of 10:12.73 from the 10:16.30 that Dana Giordano of Bernards ran when she was third in the two-mile at the 2012 New Balance Nationals.  

The 10:10.24 by Loveys is also US#6 in the country this season, shattered the Morris County record of 10:18.24 set in 2012 by Mackenzie Barry of Mendham at the Meet of Champions, and destroyed the meet mark of 10:25.33 set in 2013 by Megan Curham of Villa Walsh.

How did Loveys do it?

Here are her splits accoring to Randolph distance coach Kevin Higgins- 

73.8
78.8
77.9
77.3 (5:07.9)
78.1
78.1
75.9
69.5 (5:02.3)

The Princeton-bound Loveys ran 5:07 and change for the first 1,600, came back in 5:03, and then closed in 69 point for the final 400 to secure the state record. 

Loveys had to run fast to win because of the presence of West Morris junior Julia Trethaway,  who also ran well under the previous meet record as she placed second with a big PR and NJ#2 10:20.52. 

The epic 3200m run by Loveys completed one of the best distance doubles in state history.

At Tuesday's opening day of the Morris County Championships, Loveys won her fourth straight 1,600m title and smashed the meet record when she stopped the clock at 4:50.12, breaking the rmet ecord of 4:51.53 set in 2013 by Randolph's Liz Lansing.

Loveys, who won the 1,600 at the 2018 Outdoor Meet of Champions in a PR of 4:46.03 and the the M of C XC title this past fall, now owns the NJ#1 times in both the 1,600 and 3,200. She ran a NJ#1 4:48.87 at the NJAC Championships last week at Morris Hills. 

NJ ALL-TIME 3,200 LIST
10:10.24-Abby Loveys, Randolph, 2019
10:12.8-Michelle Rowen, Washington Twp., 1983
10:15.02-Sarah Disanza, High Point, 2013  
10:17.18-Melanie Thompson, Voorhees, 2009
10:17.28-Katie McCafferty, Oak Knoll, 2008 
10:18.0-Jodie Bilotta, North Hunterdon, 1987
10:18.24-Mackenzie Barry, Mendham, 2014
10:18.6-Janet Smith, J.P. Stevens, 1984
10:19.31-Chelsea Ley, Kingsway, 2009

NJ ALL-TIME 2-MILE  
10:16.30-Dana Giordano, Bernards, 2012 
10:17.44-Ashley Higginson Colts Neck, 2007