Lauren Harris Shatters 1500m Racewalk National Record By Over Ten Seconds

Staten Island, NY - It was only a matter of time.  After Lauren Harris (Sachem East) took down the Mile National Record as a junior, the 1500m State and National Record was all that was left up on the board.  After dropping a NY #2 All-Time in the early stages of January, Harris closed out the month with a monstrous drop in the National Record.

After awaiting confirmation after the race, Harris was ratified at 6:17.59.  Athletes are disqualified after three infractions by officials around the track, and must wait until after the race for those officials to exchange notes.  It adds another dimension of tension for these athletes, but everything came out clear in the end.

Harris now becomes the fastest Racewalker of All-Time.  She lowered the previous National Record of 6:28.20 by nearly 11-seconds.  The record was held by Lisa Kutzing of Port Jefferson, set before Harris was born in 1998.  Harris has nearly a 40-second lead over the next best athlete in the country, making her one of the biggest favorites heading into States and Nationals.

Hear from her below.