Photos by Mary DiBiase Blaich, Don Rich, and Tim Fulton
Robby Andrews laid flat on his back, his legs propped against the wall. His eyes glazed over and any ounce of energy he owned only existed in his recent memory.
His body punished him but only because he tortured it first. He accepted that because the pain would fade. The reward on the other hand – that’s entirely different.
The Manalapan (N.J.) senior performed one of the great feats in scholastic track and field history Sunday at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships in one of the most memorable runs ever at the Armory. He set the national record while winning the 800 meters in 1:49.21, becoming the first high-schooler to ever break 1:50 for a half-mile. He broke Michael Granville’s 1995 record of 1:50.55.
“I honestly wasn’t thinking about time,” Andrews said. “I was just trying to hang on to Sadiki (White) and go for the win.”
Even if Andrews was telling the truth and wasn’t concerned with the national record, his father, Bob Andrews, wrote down eight different scenarios in which his son could at least match the national record, none of which reflected how fast Andrews actually ran. But there would have been no mapping out Andrews’ performance. Not the way he ran it.
Andrews followed Sadiki White (Allentown, N.J.) through nearly 600 meters. Most expected Andrews to challenge the national record but the pace fell way behind. White and Andrews went through the first 400 in 56.2. But Andrews pulled up right on White’s shoulder and invited him to push the tempo and White complied. Then with 230 left, Andrews took the front and unleashed a tremendous kick that won’t soon be forgotten by anyone who witnessed it. He ran the second half of the race in 53.0, including a 26.2 final lap.
“Right before the last lap I got up on his shoulder hoping that he would pick up the pace,” Andrews said. “He did so it was perfect. I just sat behind him and pull back the slingshot and let it go.”
Andrews flew down the back straightaway like the track had been lit on fire behind him, the same way he did when he smashed Alan Webb’s national record in the 1,000 at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational Feb. 7 when he finished in 2:22.28.
“I never could’ve imagined this season happening the way it did,” Andrews said.
With two national records and a win in the mile at the Millrose Games, Andrews even took a shot at Alan Webb’s national record in the mile at the Eastern States Championships. His legs refused to cooperate that day and he finished in 4:12.31. After that, Andrews thought he might scrap the nationals all together. But a couple strong workouts changed his mind.
Just like in the 1,000 at the Collegiate Invitational, Andrews seemed out of contention for a record but once he hit the bell lap he knew he had a chance.
“I looked up and saw 1:22 (for 600 meters) and I’m thinking ‘OK, I got a shot at this thing.”
Before long, the entire crowd was on its feet and Andrews was laboring through a victory lap, looking for someplace to collapse.
“When I finished they were like, ‘Go do a lap,’ and I’m like, ‘Wait. No.”
Chaminade (Canoga Park, Calif.) senior Connor McCullough broke a national record that wasn’t as long-standing but just as amazing nonetheless. McCullough rocketed a 93-foot, 3.25-inch bomb in the weight throw that scared spectators enough in the stands that they started to leave their seats for fear that the weight would land in their laps.
Instead, McCullough’s throw nearly hit the fence – a fence that was moved back after Walter Henning of St. Anthony’s set the national record at 86-5.50 two years ago – and the ball short-hopped into the fence to break the his own national record of 92-7.50 set Friday at the Nike Indoor Nationals in Boston.
“When I walked in the circle I just wanted to work with the ball and keep my speed up,” said McCullough, who is considering, Harvard, Princeton, Duke and Southern California. “I knew when I let it go that it was out there.”
It was his last opportunity since he won’t have another chance to throw the weight in high school. But he closed out in style with throws of 80-1.50. 90-11, 89-5 and 88-11 before his national record toss. Even after breaking Henning’s record Friday he knew he could still improve on his mark Sunday.
“I felt like it was a hard good but it was quite possible,” he said.
McCullough spent most of his time between throws quietly laying down away from the crowd. He said he visualized improving.
“No numbers,” he said. “I just want to improve.”
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.
Photos by Mary DiBiase Blaich, Don Rich, and Tim Fulton