New Balance Nationals Outdoor Day 1 - Thursday, 6/13
Anisa Thompson, The Blake School
Girls Long Jump Freshman - 8:00am CST
The Class A State Champion in the 200m (and fifth place finisher in the 100m) is only entered in the long jump at this meet. Thompson will be out for redemption, as she'd eclipsed 17 feet twice entering sections, but didn't qualify for the State Meet after jumping 14-9.25. Had Thompson qualified for State and hit her personal best, she would have placed fourth in Class A.
Olivia Beschorner, Mankato East
Girls 800m Junior High - 12:45pm CST
Olivia Beschorner had a remarkable season (as just an 8th grader), running 2:20.53 for the 800m and 5:17.24 for the 1600m. She anchored home Mankato East's 4x800 to a State berth, where they ultimately finished 15th. Beschorner will look to dip under 2:20 for the first time, after coming within a second of the barrier multiple times this spring.
Girls 800m Freshman - 1:15pm CST
As just a freshman, Zoie Dundon earned her way onto the podium with a seventh place finish in the 800m. Her season best of 2:14.37 was over nine seconds better than her best time from 2018, and she has been remarkably consistent in the mid 2:10s for much of the year.
Elliott McArthur, Mounds View
Boys 2 Mile Junior High - 3:05pm CST
The 8th grade phenom McArthur was an integral part of Mounds View's NXN-qualifying team, but has shown even more growth in track. The 8th grade phenom qualified for the Hamline Elite Meet in the 3200m, where he set his personal best of 9:35.34. McArthur didn't run this event at sections or State, so it'll have been almost a month since he raced this distance when he toes the line on Thursday.
Taylor Isabel, Mounds View
Girls 2 Mile JH - 3:35 pm CST
McArthur isn't the only 8th grade star from Mounds View, as Isabel has impressed in her own right. She PRed by 24 seconds (and ran over a minute faster than she did as a 7th grader) to qualify for the State Meet out of Section 5AA. Isabel would go on to take 13th at State.