WHILE THE ASICS SOUND, Hemery Valentine and Tyson Invitationals provided the most spectacular fireworks on the unofficial final weekend of major indoor action before the USATF Champs (February 28–March 01) and super conference weekend, there were plenty of other outstanding marks put up. A week earlier a relay WR went down.
Atlanta TC Snags 4×8 WR
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, February 06 — The 4 x 800 is not commonly contested indoors, though it is a fixture of the spring relay season. In a tangential sense, it is thus fitting that when an Atlanta TC foursome lowered the undercover World Record it was at the Penn Classic, on the campus of the school that annually hosts the storied Penn Relays.
It was for competitive purposes a single-team effort by coach Tom Nohilly’s Georgia-based group. Clay Pender, Luke Houser, Luciano Fiore and Sean Dolan toured 16 laps in 7:10.29 to cut down the old WR, 7:11.30, set by a HOKA New Jersey/New York TC unit on BU’s track in ’18.
Pender’s 1:49.69 leadoff was 0.66 slower than Joe McAsey’s 8 years ago. Houser, the ’25 World Indoor 1500 bronze medalist, split 1:47.47 to leave the squad 1.02 behind record tempo. Fiore’s 1:47.34 cut the deficit to 0.93, but the chase remained alive. Anchor Dolan had more in his tank than needed. The Villanova alum hammered his 4 laps in 1:45.79 to bring the baton home 0.59 under the old mark. Host Penn’s squad placed 2nd, well back at 7:22.43.
Record-maker Dolan, 24, was the NCAA Indoor 800 runner-up as a senior in ’24 and twice placed 5th in the NCAA Outdoor 4-lapper. He PRed outdoors last summer at 1:45.67.
More Fast Distance Running at UW
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, February 13–14 — For the women, the 800 yielded the best performances at the Husky Classic as Penn State’s Haley Kitching (1:59.22), Washington State’s Rosemary Longisa (1:59.71) and Washington’s Chloe Foerster moved to Nos. 3, 6 and 9 on the all-time all-conditions indoor list. Stanford’s Paris Olympic finalist Juliette Whittaker placed 3rd in 1:59.76.
Oklahoma State’s Billah Jepkirui and Boise State’s Kaiya Robertson joined the parade of fast women’s collegiate milers this weekend, with the Kenyan running 4:22.92 ahead of the Canadian’s 4:24.51 — good for Nos. 4 and 8 all-time on the vastly revised all-conditions list.
New Mexico’s Eritrean Habtom Samuel — whose momentous senior year already includes an NCAA XC title, a CR in the 2M and a collegiate best in the half-marathon — won the 3000 by 4.58 seconds in 7:37.44. Meanwhile, Florida’s Kenyan frosh Kelvin Cheruiyot — the SEC and South Region XC champ who was 14th in NCAAs — made an impressive 5K indoor track debut with a 13:15.57 victory. That nipped compatriot and Louisville frosh Elsingi Kipruto (13:15.74).
Gamecocks Nearly Nab 4×4 CR
CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, February 13–14 — In the unexpected records department, a new collegiate standard was hardly highly anticipated at the Tiger Paw Invite, but South Carolina, with a tight group of low-mid 45-second runners showed they have what it takes.
Josiah Wrice (45.42), Jasauna Dennis (45.15), Devan Crumpton (45.27) and Andrew Salvodon (45.02) put together a measured 3:00.86 that nearly erased the 3:00.77 CR set 8 years ago by the Michael Norman-led USC Trojans at the NCAA Indoor. The quartet was pushed by Alabama’s 3:02.29, particularly anchor Samuel Ogazi (44.23).
In Georgia’s 3:03.10 section 2 win, Jonathan Simms led off in 44.73. The fastest-ever first leg, it bettered Fred Kerley’s 44.85 from the ’18 World Indoor Champs. Bulldog frosh Simms earlier this season ran the fastest-ever second and third legs, 44.31 and 44.35. □
