Photo by Ron Kalasinskas
Rochester, NY - Sammy Watson (Rush-Henrietta) is slowly beginning the transition back to the track. After a very successful cross country season, the still unsigned senior has been slowly testing the waters on the track. Last weekend, she opened her season with a 1500m with a NY #3 of 4:38.36. She's only surpassed by NXN-Finalist Jessica Lawson, and Stanford-bound Kaitlyn Ryan.
Watson moved past Ryan, however, this Friday. Ryan held the US #2 mark over 1000m, running 2:51.77 at her school's Jim Mitchell Invitational. It was only recently pushed to US #2 by Rachel McArthur of Virginia. Watson took to the track at RIT on friday night, to open up her season over the 1000m. Doing so without spikes on, Watson went US #1 with a 2:49.15 to win by nearly 20 seconds. The mark would have been NY #8 All-Time if Watson didn't already hold the State Record of 2:45.32.
The record is contested by some historians. Running as a professional athlete, Mary Cain ran 2:35.80 in 2014. Track and Field News does not allow professional athletes to set High School marks. They compile three separate lists: High School, Collegiate, and Professional. They have a rule that an athlete can only set a mark for one list, so all high school aged athletes who go pro early, are no longer able to set high school records. However, those who keep high school state records, only compile one list, therefore athletes are able to be professional, as they are still attending High School.
Still, it gives Watson another mark to chase, as she will go
head-to-head with Kate Murphy (Lake Braddock, VA) and Nevada Mareno
(Leesville Road, NC) in a National Record chase at the VA Showcase in early January.
