Top Ten Moments Of 2020 - Numbers 10 & 9

#9 - Reheem Hayles Finds A Home In A New Event

Where you start may not always be where you finish. No athlete may know that better than the PSAL's Reheem Hayles (Springfield Gardens). As a Junior, Hayles was a member of one of the City's fastest Sprint Classes of All-Time. Primarily a 300m runner, he would go toe-to-toe with Christopher Columbus power-duo Anthony Brodie and Rashaun Stewart. That same pair would go on to sweep the 2019 State Meet 1-2 atop the podium, while Hayles grabbed a surprise third slot qualifier after placing 7th in the PSAL Trials. Outdoors, Hayles would split his team equally between the 200m and 400m, taking second to Brodie at the PSAL Outdoor Champs, and moving on to States, where he would place 9th overall. The 400m wasn't much of a stretch up from the 300m, but Hayles next move was another jump altogether.

In Hayles first competitive race of his Senior year, the ill-fated 2020 Season, Hayles tested the waters up above, more likely to get a base-race in for his return to the 300m. In the second 600m of his career, Hayles found he had plenty of energy left after crossing through the 600m mark, and continued on to a 5-Second personal best, and a US #1 Time of 1:22.39. The mark would be a revelation for both Hayles, and the rest of the State. Hayles would return to the longer distance with the off-distance 500m at the Hall Of Fame Invite, then drop down to the 300m at Marine Corps, putting in a full-second Personal Best of 34.80.

But his second real shot at the 600m would bring the headlines.

Two months after his first race at the distance, Hayles returned at the low-key MLK Relays on Jan 20th. He knew he would essentially be time-trialing the race, but his goal was to come through fast, and hold the pace. At 400m, he was already four seconds ahead of the field, clocking 50-seconds even. Adding on another 28-second loop, Hayles would take another big jump, and drop below the 1:20.00 barrier in the 600m, known as the magic barrier for the event. Hayles clocked 1:19.10 for a new US #1 time, and the best mark for a New Yorker since 2015. The mark stood as US #6 All-Time for New York State.

The race opened up the possibilities of something more, both in terms of future races, and for future Collegiate opportunities. Hayles ran the distance again at the Millrose Games, dropping his PR once again to 1:18.59, winning among the star studded field of Long Sprinters. At the PSAL Champs, he reaffirmed his dominance with a 1:19.57 performance, fourth best in Meet History.

And then, at the Indoor State Meet, Hayles challenged the field to come with him. Out in 24secs, he came back through 400m in 50.63. His improved fitness chopped a full second off his previous best closing lap, winning the State Title by over a second, and moving him up to NY #4 All-Time in the event, with his 1:18.48, a new Meet Record.

The plan was to run the 400m a week later at Nationals, but it was not to be.