St. Louis Showdown
Of the nine competitors in the field, four have St. Louis connections. In the field are Shannah Leinert (Eureka Grad), Cydney Ross (Villa Duchesne Grad), Samantha Levin (Ladue Grad) and Hannah Long a 2015 Eureka graduate. Levin will be tasked with setting the pace for the race. This will be the first time Leinert will be racing Hannah Long who has rewritten the record books at Eureka, taking down Leinert’s old marks. Leinert enters seeded at 2:01.65, quite a bit faster than her predecessor.
Ross, who is now with Boston Athletic Association, returns to St. Louis with a 2:02.48 PR.
Long to be Tested
Hannah Long has proved she is in a league of her own. Now the US#1 in the 1600m, she ran 4:40 completely clear of the field. While she did run a 2:06 to chase down Lafayette and bring her team to their third straight state title in the 4x800m, this race will put her in a different position than she is used to - the back. Her PR of 2:08.87, while great for a high schooler, is a far shot from the 2:01’s and 2:02’s in the field. With the current nation leader at 2:04.56, it is possible that Hannah could be in range for that with the competition level she will be faced with on Thursday.
The Quest for Sub-Two
With LaTavia Thomas in the field, a sub-two minute half miler, the goal will be to crack the barrier. The winner of the race receives $1,000 with an additional $1,000 for cracking 2:01.
Other Races
Big River Championship Boys Mile Preview
Big River Championship Girls Mile Preview
St. Louis Track Club Men's Mile Storylines
St. Louis Injury and Rehab Development Miles Preview
*The Meet will be steamed live on Flotrack.