Despite absence of fans due to COVID-19 safety guidelines, rising junior is looking to set another meet record in Nashville, with potential to challenge Story’s all-time Tennessee 3,200-meter mark; Gorriaran, Greer and Kipyego all scheduled to compete against college and professional athletes in elite sections

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Jenna Hutchins energized the crowd last year at the Music City Distance Carnival with one of the most memorable performances in meet and Tennessee distance running history, setting the state mile record by running 4 minutes, 43.33 seconds at Vanderbilt.

Although Hutchins will be seeking an encore performance in front of no fans as a result of COVID-19 safety guidelines at the event’s 18th edition Saturday night at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, the rising junior at Science Hill High is hoping to conclude the meet with another historic performance in the girls 3,200 meters.

Following a 10:05 solo effort in a July 17 time trial, Hutchins is not only pursuing another meet record, but also has the potential to challenge the all-time state mark of 9:59.80 achieved in 2017 by former Christian Academy of Knoxville standout Rebecca Story.

The event begins at 5:15 p.m. CDT, with 13 Masters and elite races on the schedule, before the meet concludes after 10 p.m. CDT with both high school 3,200-meter competitions.

WATCH LIVE WEBCAST

“Music City was my best track race by far last year. It was so fun being at night and it was such a great atmosphere and such a great meet. I felt amazing, I was in really good fitness, and I was at the best place I had ever been in the mile,” said Hutchins, who elevated to the No. 4 all-time freshman performer in the mile at last year’s event.

“It was a really great opportunity for me and it gives back really positive memories, so it gives me a lot of excitement getting to go back to the same meet, knowing I had so much success there last year. It definitely gives me confidence going into the meet and it gives me a good sense of mind that I can do really well here because I did so last year, even though the circumstances are a lot different.”

Hutchins’ best 3,200 performance in an official race is still considered her 10:15.39 from November at the KYA Time Trials at Hardin Valley Academy in Knoxville, which is well under the Music City Distance Carnival meet record of 10:23.41 achieved last year by Emma Wilson of Greencastle, Ind.

After such a composed, evenly paced effort during the July time trial, Hutchins is optimistic that the competition of a race can propel her to an even better performance.

“I was very optimistic after my time trial. I felt very calm throughout the whole race. I didn’t feel overexerted since I was out there on my own. I felt calm and collected, and when I finished, I felt good. I was hungry for more and I was so excited for the opportunity to actually be in a race to try and improve myself even more,” Hutchins said. “Obviously a track race in August is pretty different, but I’m just glad to have the opportunity to get to do it before cross country season. There’s no pressure, I’m just going out there to have fun and using it to my advantage.”

Although Brynn Brown of Denton Guyer High in Texas produced a 9:39 effort in May with the assistance of male athletes pacing during her time trial, the rising senior also boasts the official national outdoor leader at 9:58.58 from the Coppell Relays in February.

After rising junior Abby VanderKooi of Muskegon Western Michigan Christian ran 10:02.56 at the Desert Dream Last Hurrah meet June 13 in San Tan Valley, Ariz., Hutchins might be the last legitimate threat among prep athletes this summer to challenge the sub-10 barrier.

“I think it’s definitely a lot more realistic now than I was thinking before in the past. Every opportunity I have to run a 3,200, it will definitely be the next step for me,” Hutchins said. “I can’t wait to have the opportunity to run at Music City where there will be other people around me too in a race setting, but if it doesn’t happen there, that’s OK, too, I still have 2021 to look forward to as well. But I think it will be a really good chance for me just to see where my fitness is at in a race, and also really to try for that barrier because I do think I’m capable after feeling not too shabby after my time trial.”

Rising senior Carmen Alder of Pinecrest High in North Carolina, rising junior Natalie Cook of Flower Mound High in Texas, and rising sophomore Lily Cridge of Bishop Chatard High in Indiana are the only other athletes in the field with personal bests under 10:40.

After Kashon Harrison of Kirtland Central, N.M., achieved the boys 3,200 meet record last year by running 8:55.27, four athletes have the potential to challenge that mark Saturday.

Rising seniors Jackson Braddock of Southern Regional, N.J., Jack Scherer of Oshkosh North High in Wisconsin and Kevin Vanderkolk of Brentwood High in Tennessee, along with rising junior Izaiah Steury of Angola High in Indiana are all seeking the first official sub-9 effort of their careers.

Scherer is also entered in the men’s 5,000, along with rising senior Judson Greer of Melissa High in Texas.

Rising senior Darius Kipyego of St. Raphael Academy in Rhode Island is scheduled to compete in the second section of the men’s 800 meters, with Rheinhardt Harrison, a rising junior from Nease High in Florida, entered in the men’s mile.

In the top section of the women’s 800 is rising sophomore Sophia Gorriaran of Moses Brown High in Rhode Island, with rising seniors Bailey Goggans of Marble Falls High in Texas and Amaya Turner of Wheeler High in Indiana both expected to race in the second section.

Heidi Nielson, a rising senior at Katy Cinco Ranch in Texas, is entered in the second section of the women’s 1,500.