For the first time, the Prefontaine Classic will feature high school races in the 200 meters and mile for both boys and girls.
The boys’ mile took a hit when sub 4-minute phenom Matthew Maton of Bend, Oregon, withdrew due to injury. But runners from nine other states will be represented, including Jack Salisbury from Providence, Rhode Island, who finished second at February’s New Balance Grand Prix High School mile in 4 minutes, 8 seconds and six-time Tennessee state champion Adam Barnard of Johnson City, whose personal best is 4:10:23 and who was inspired by Steve Prefontaine to run track. Also in the field is Carlos Villarreal, who has the Arizona state record in the 1,600 meters, 4:03:97.
The girls’ mile includes Jordyn Colter, who is ranked No. 1 nationally with a time of 4:45:24 and committed to run at Cal next year. Also in the field are three athletes from the 2014 Nike Elite Camp, Stephanie Jenks, Ella Donaghu and Lauren Gregory, and Ryen Frazier of Ravenscroft, North Carolina, who just defended her Carolina Relays mile title last week with a time of 4:47:92.
The boys’ 200 features four competitors from Texas, two from Florida and one each from Georgia and New York. Ryan Clark of Banneker, Georgia, ran a state-record 20.79 seconds just last week. The Florida-bound sprinter also garnered the Outstanding Performance Award for the meet, adding titles in the 100 and 400 meters.
Rai Benjamin of Mt. Vernon, New York, who is a UCLA signee, is ranked No. 7 nationally in the 200-meter dash and broke a 38-year-old New York State record in the boys 400 hurdles just last week. And Corey Dauphine of Memorial, Texas, posted the fastest time in the nation last year, running 20.76 in the state track meet. He’s also a running back committed to play for Texas Tech next year.
In the girls’ 200 meters, Candace Hill of Rockdale, Georgia, is the national leader in the event with a time of 23.05. Diamond Spaulding, a senior who attends Florida high school powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas, won the 4A state title with a time of 23.21, ranking her No. 3 currently in the U.S. Another Floridian, Nebraska commit La’Kayla Harris, was runner-up in the Class 3A state meet in 23.67.
Symone Darius, an All-American since her sophomore year, is training independently with Mount Vernon-based New Horizon Track Club while still attending classes. In last month’s New Balance Indoor National Championships, she finished second in 23.99.
