Armory, NYC - While the race didn't provide the match up we may have been expecting, as Kamryn McIntosh retired her indoor season with injury, it sure did bring about the performance we knew Watson was capable of. The newly minted National Record Holder Sammy Watson (Rush-Henrietta) had nothing to lose, but still took the race out conservatively. Through the first 50m, the field of professional athletes had ate up the stagger on the highly seeded athlete, and Watson relished being near the back at the break.
Then, as we've seen numerous times over her career, Watson went to work. She began to pass the languishing competition around her, moving up a position at a time. Despite coming through in 5th position at 56.462, Watson would cruise the ultimate lap of the proceedings, blowing past Olympians and pro's alike. With a lean at the line, Watson would outlean 1:57.6 performer over 800m, Lynsey Sharp of Great Britain, to take third overall in the race.
Watson's winning mark chopped off a full second from her previous National Best. Running 1:27.13, she sets herself up as one of the best in the world in the event. Not only that, she only bolsters the history of the event in New York State. Only 12 times in history has a HS athlete broken 1:20.00 in the event, and 10 of those occurrences belong to New Yorkers. Only Sammy Watson, Kamryn McIntosh, Janine Davis, and Phyllis Francis have ever done it twice. Watson is now the only athlete to do it three times.
