BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, February 13–14 — The hype for the women’s mile at the Hemery Valentine Invitational ratcheted up significantly when Elle St. Pierre — who was a scratch at Millrose a week earlier after a thrilling comeback win at NBIGP the previous week — announced she would take a run at her own 4:16.41 AR, set at Millrose two years ago.
There was already anticipation for BYU frosh Jane Hedengren’s collegiate debut at the distance, since her HSR of 4:23.50 was nearly equal to Şilan Ayyıldız’s CR 4:23.46 set last year. Oregon’s Swedish star Wilma Nielsen (4:23.56 coming in) was also game for the chase, but forgotten by some was the fact that Hedengren’s senior teammate Riley Chamberlain was coming off a summer 1500 PR, 4:02.03, and was as ready as anyone.
St. Pierre, towed by a rabbit through 809m (2:07:27), led through the kilo in 2:39.51 with Nielsen boldly running right behind her. Meanwhile about 3 seconds in arrears, Chamberlain and Hedengren were paced by BYU teammates through 800, then the frosh overtook her teammate just past 900.
Nielsen finally had to let go of St. Pierre’s 32-second lap tempo and faded to 33.75 and 35.19 on the last two go-rounds. The winner needed a sub-32 final lap, but fatigue held her to 33.38 and a final mark of 4:17.83 — but still fast enough through 1500 at 3:59.33 to take down that AR (3:59.60 by Heather McLean in ’25).
“I couldn’t make it to Millrose [due to illness] and I just wanted to get a fast one in,” said St. Pierre about jumping into the field last week. “I didn’t want my hard work and fitness to go to waste.”
Chamberlain (4:20.61) passed Nielsen (4:21.05) to crush the CR, with Hedengren (4:22.20) making it three inside Ayyıldız’s old mark. “It still doesn’t feel real,” Chamberlain said afterward, crediting training with her teammate for her success.
While Hedengren was denied one record, she held on to another — for 5000. New 3K CR-holder Doris Lemngole needed to average 35.39 per lap to beat her rival’s 14:44.79 standard. After 3K (8:49.56), she dropped to high 35s, 36s and a few 37s. She still held on for a stellar 14:51.81. That improved the Alabama junior to No. 2 all-time on the collegiate absolute list and kept Karissa Schweizer (14:54.15) at bay.
BYU standouts also shone in the 800 and 3K. In the former, Meghan Hunter just missed her 1:59.70 PR from Millrose with a 1:59.74. In the 15-lapper — won by Oregon senior Ayyıldız in 8:42.66 after she watched her mile CR go down — Jenna Hutchins moved to No. 8 all-time among American collegians with her 8:44.04.
Friday’s men’s action saw a thrilling men’s 3000 with Villanova’s Marco Langon again a central figure. The Villanova junior stumbled at the finish but dove ahead of North Carolina’s Colton Sands to win, 7:34.00 to 7:34.05, as they moved to Nos. 3 and on the all-time collegiate list. In 3rd, Tayvon Kitchen continued his fantastic yearling campaign at BYU with a 7:36.23, good for No. 8 all time college.
Penn State’s Allon Clay made a great run at Tinoda Matsatsa’s 2:16.84 CR at 1000, falling just short with 2:17.29.
HEMERY VALENTINE RESULTS
MEN
60: 1. **Mustapha Bokpin’ (MTn-Gha) 6.62.
200: 1. Bokpin’ 20.83.
400: I. **Modou Sanneh’ (Monroe-Gam) 46.28.
800: 1. *Tyler Edson (Va) 1:46.48.
1000: 1. Allon Clay’ (PennSt-Jpn) 2:17.29 (2, 2 C).
Mile: I–1. Wes Porter (UArmMRB) 3:50.37 (10, x A) (3:35.04);
2. Aaron Ahl’ (Can) 3:51.33 (3:34.98 NR); 3. Ben Allen (EmpE) 3:52.08 (3:56.23);
4. Colin Sahlman (NnAz) 3:52.30 (8, 9 C) (3:37.52);
5. Thomas Ratcliffe (NikeSwoosh) 3:52.30 (3:36.43);
6. Elliott Cook (Or) 3:52.32 (9, 10 C) (3:36.78); 7. *Pierre Attiogbe (Corn) 3:52.44 (=10, x C) (3:36.78);
8. *Carter Cutting (BYU) 3:52.84; 9. Max Davies’ (Can) 3:53.24; 10. Abel Teffra (Hoka) 3:53.29; 11. Isaac Basten (BAA) 3:53.60; 12. Cooper Cawthra (UArmMRB) 3:53.85.
3000: 1. *Marco Langon (Vill) 7:34.00 (3, 3 C); 2. Colton Sands (NC) 7:34.05 (4, 4 C); 3. ***Tayvon Kitchen (BYU) 7:36.23 (8, 9 C);
4. Tomas Palfrey’ (Or-Aus) 7:39.03; 5. *Benjamin Balazs (Or) 7:39.31; 6. Jesse Hamlin (Butler) 7:39.70.
5000: I–1. **Dismus Lokira’ (Al-Ken) 13:21.54; 2. Myles Hogan (Prin) 13:21.57; 3. Hyuga Endo’ (Jpn) 13:21.96; 4. Sean McGorty (Nike) 13:22.56.
WOMEN
200: 1. **Ella Cooper (Harv) 23.36.
400: 1. Lauren Gale’ (Can) 52.56.
800: 1. Meghan Hunter (Nike) 1:59.74; 2. McKenna Keegan (MelbTC) 2:00.05; 3. Michaela Rose (adidas) 2:00.14; 4. Victoria Bossong (NBal) 2:00.18; 5. **Veronica Hargrave (In) 2:01.64.
1000: 1. Shannon Flockhart’ (GB) 2:37.64.
Mile: I–1. Elle St. Pierre (NBalB) 4:17.83 (x, 9 W; x, 4 A) (3:59.33 AR—old AR 3:59.60 Heather MacLean [NBal] ‘25 (10, x W);
2. Riley Chamberlain (BYU) 4:20.61 CR (old CR 4:23.46 Şilan Ayyıldız [Or-Tur) ‘25) (6, 9 A) (4:03.01 PR—9, x A; 2, 2 C);
3. Wilma Nielsen’ (Or-Swe) 4:21.04 (2, 2 C) (4:01.60 CR—old CR 4:05.66 Ayyıldız ’25)
4. ***Jane Hedengren (BYU) 4:22.22 (10, x A; 3, 3 C) (4:03.43 PR—3, 3 C);
5. Taryn Parks (adidas) 4:23.10 (4:05.92); 6. *Salma Elbadra’ (SC-Mor) 4:27.54 (4:08.34).
II–1. ***Claire Stegall (Fl) 4:25.91 (=10, x C) (4:08.27—10, x C);
2. *Juliet Cherubet’ (Or-Ken) 4:27.46 (4:09.63); 3. Sophie Novak (unat) 4:27.95 (4:09.77); 4. *Tatum David (Va) 4:28.10 (4:09.96); 5. Aniya Mosley (OhSt) 4:28.30;
6. *Sophia Gorriaran (Harv) 4:29.53.
3000: 1. Şilan Ayyıldız’ (Or-Tur) 8:42.66;
2. Jenna Hutchins (BYU) 8:44.04 (8, x AmC);
3. Gracie Hyde (Puma) 8:46.24; 4. Hilda Olemomoi’ (Fl-Ken) 8:46.68; 5. *Hayley Burns (NnAz) 8:48.10.
5000: I–1. *Doris Lemngole’ (Al-Ken) 14:51.21 (2, 2 C; in/out 2, 2 C);
2. Karissa Schweizer (NikeSwoosh) 14:54.15; 3. Margot Appleton (NBalB) 15:03.19; 4. Lexy Halladay (Nike) 15:05.11; 5. Katie Izzo (adidas) 15:10.75; 6. Alex Millard’ (GB) 15:14.07.
HJ: 1. Allie Wildsmith (CG) 5-11¼ (1.81).
TJ: 1. Georgina Scoot’ (Prin-GB) 43-11¼ (13.39); 2. Alexandra Kelly (Prin) 42-10¾ (13.07).
Wt: 1. Ellie Roan (BU) 70-4½ (21.45).
