Maddy Berkson continues to excel on the indoor boards.
The Classical High junior manufactured her most impressive performance of the winter track season on Saturday by capturing the 3,000-meter run at the Hispanic Games in New York in a fast time of 9 minutes, 53.75 seconds. Berkson smashed the state record by nearly six seconds and also recorded the nation’s No. 1 clocking. Her time eclipsed the R.I. indoor mark of 9:59.47, set by former La Salle Academy great and Providence College freshman Molly Keating at last year’s state meet.
It was Berkson’s second state record of her outstanding career. She also holds the outdoor 1,500-meter mark of 4:27.92, which she ran at last spring’s outdoor championships. Berkson, who has indicated she may run the prestigious Brooks PR Invitational in Seattle, Wash., on Feb. 24, has copped individual titles at the R.I. Classic and the RITCA Invitational already this year. She was also third in the mile at the Bishop Loughlin Games in New York.
Rhode Island had one other entry in the meet. In the boys’ mile, Chariho Regional senior Bryce Kelley finished eighth overall with a time of 4:23. Eric Holt of Carmel, N.Y., was the first to break the tape, crossing the line in 4:16 to earn an automatic berth into next month’s Larry Byrne New Balance Mile at the Millrose Games.
MADDIE BERKSON INTERVIEW