Miller-Bedell drops 2:51.90 in the 1000
By Christopher Hunt
When she heard the time she just stared off into nowhere in particular. She couldn’t speak. She could barely even think.
“What?” she asked after a couple seconds passed.
Tappan Zee senior Emma Miller-Bedell needed confirmation. Whether she believed it or not she had just won the 1,000 meters at the Section 1 state qualifier. But that wasn’t the shocker. She finished in 2:51.90, the third-fastest time in the nation this season and the fastest time in New York State.
In less than three minutes, Miller went from having a shaky season to being a favorite at the 1,000 at the state championships March 8 at Cornell University in Ithaca.
“It didn’t feel that fast,” she said, still seeming confused.
Miller-Bedell spent most of the race behind Carmel’s Kristin Reese and some trailing Ursuline’s Meghan Brown as well. But she moved on Brown with 250 left and scurried behind Reese headed into the last lap. Then Miller-Bedell surged down the back straightaway.
Reese attempted to hold her off but Miller-Bedell took over the lead just before the final curve and finished just ahead of Reese, who placed second in 2:52.97.
“My goal was to stick up with Kristin,” Miller-Bedell said. “I wasn’t even paying attention to the laps. Then I looked up and saw one lap left and I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ I really thought that we were going slow so that’s why I decided to book it.”
Miller-Bedell missed the first month of the season with plantar fasciitis in her right foot. She had been struggling to get back into the form that made her an all-American 800-meter runner in the spring.
“I thought I’d be lucky to run 2:56 today,” she said. “I thought my PB (personal best) was supposed to hurt?”
Elizabeth Mott of New Rochelle won the 55 hurdles in 8.22. Last year, Mott finished third at the state meet in the 300. This season she decided to focus on the hurdles and forego the 300 to give her team a chance to qualify in the 4x400. Mislie Bien-Aime (59.5), Vanessa Bigaud (61.8), Sophia Bien-Aime (60.9) and Mott (54.6) won the relay in 3:56.85, the seventh-fastest time in the country and third-fastest in the state.
“It was all my choice,” Mott said. “I love the hurdles.”
Mott has given a lot more attention to hurdling this season. Last year, didn’t practice hurdling as much but still was a member of New 
Rochelle’s all-American shuttle hurdles relay. People have started to take notice as well. Mott also has the fourth-fastest time in the nation at 400 meters this season (54.35).
Rochelle’s all-American shuttle hurdles relay. People have started to take notice as well. Mott also has the fourth-fastest time in the nation at 400 meters this season (54.35).“It’s nice that people finally recognize me as a hurdler and not just a quarter-miler,” she said. “When I talk to college coaches they actually talk about hurdles now when before it was just like, ‘Oh so you run the 400.’”
Suffern’s Shelby Greany coasted to a win in the 3,000 in 10:26.55. She will be one of the favorites at the state meet.
“It’s a stacked race so I know it’s going to be really fast,” she said.”
Suffern's Jen Clayton also won the long jump in 18 feet, 10 inches and finished third in the 55. But her teammate Christy Goldmann was the star of the day for her team. Goldmann would have likely qualified had she run the 1,500 and she struggled all last week with the idea. But Goldmann knew she would be running the anchor on the 4x800 relay and it would be her and Greany’s task to chase down Bronxville.
Greany put Goldmann in position to chase down Bronxville Tori Flannery, one of the top middle distance runners in Section 1. Goldmann chipped down the lead and stuck on Flannery’s shoulder, then made a move with 350 left.
“I thought she may have gone too early,” Suffern distance coach Jeff Dempsey said.
But Goldmann held the lead and her 2:12.2 anchor leg split send the Mounties to the state meet. Allie Carlson (2:20.8), Carol Dugandzic (2:21.8), Greany (2:13.9) and Goldmann won the relay in 9:09.00, the third-fastest time in the nation and 20 seconds faster that Suffern has run all season.
“I was definitely nervous to be anchor,” she said. “I’ve been nervous for a week. I could have run the 1,500 but I decided it would be better for me to be fresh for the team. … I had no idea how fast we were going. I had planned to make my move with 200 left but I know (Flannery) has a pretty big kick so I knew I couldn’t wait that long. I just made my move and didn’t look back.”
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.