The New Balance Nationals feature the best of the best from across the country.
It takes a special kind of talent to make it this far.
Beginning Thursday and running through Sunday at historic Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Rhode Island’s finest track and field athletes will be looking to make some noise in the City of Brotherly Love.
The Ocean State has a multitude of individuals and relay squads that will be competing in the Championship races. A top-six finish earns All-American honors and, of course, we know what a victory means – a coveted national title.
Kudos to everyone who made it this far. It’s a testament to the hard work, dedication, and sacrifices you’ve made throughout the year—and throughout your career. This is your reward for a job well done, and something you should be proud of.
Just a week after lowering his own state record in the 5,000-meter run with a 14:20 performance at the Battle Road Track Club Series, Portsmouth’s Sean Gray will look to continue his late-season surge at New Balance Nationals. Gray is entered in both the mile (Saturday, 5:07 p.m.) and the two mile (Friday, 2:08 p.m.).
In the two mile, the Virginia commit will be chasing more than just another state record. He’ll also be in pursuit of a national title. Gray has set an ambitious goal of 8:45, which is well under the current state standard of 8:53.94 by former La Salle standout Matt Bouthillette from the 2016 Brooks PR Invitational.
Based on his recent performances, that target appears realistic. Gray has already shown that Bouthillette’s decade-old mark is vulnerable, running 8:50.76 to place second in the 3,200m at the Glenn B. Loucks Games in early May. Since then, he has added his 5K state record and an 8:18.90 solo victory in the 3,000m at the State Meet. Given that body of work, a sub-8:50 performance appears well within reach and he has a legit chance to leave Philly with both a state record and national title.
Barrington’s Brooks Mello and Portsmouth’s Patrick Orbon, the 2-3 finishers in the 3,000m at the State Meet, are also entered in the two mile where they bring bests to the line of 8:30.58 and 8:33.75, respectively. Look for this tandem to come close to nine minutes this weekend.
A national title may be out of reach for Ponaganset’s Amber Shaw in a loaded pole vault field, but a state-record performance could put her in position to contend for a spot on the podium.
Shaw has the potential to break her own state record for the third time this weekend with a 13-foot vault. She’s come close to that milestone the last two weeks with her best of 12-9 from her victories at the State Meet and this past weekend’s New England Championships.
We did the math. Hendricken’s 4xMile (Thursday, 6:59 p.m.) and DMR (Sunday, 9:39 a.m.) relay squads have a chance to leave Franklin Field with at least one state record in those events this weekend.
The best opportunity appears to be in the 4xMile. The record there is 17:21.59, set by Hendricken in 2010. The quartet of David Hayes, Fred Russell, Brayden Seraichyk and Colby Flynn have the potential to shatter that mark this week. Based on their PRs in the mile or 1,500m, this is a squad that can run in the low 17-minute range, with the possibility of dipping under 17 minutes. Hayes, Russell and Flynn all have bests of 4:15 or faster for the mile, Seraichyk has a PR of 4:26, but also a best of 4:03 for the 1,500m.
The DMR record is 10:00.01 by La Salle in 2016. The foursome of Hayes, Jamel Florio, Oliver Redmond, and Flynn could challenge that mark, but they’ll need A-plus efforts from everyone to come close. With Hayes (1,200m), Andrew McCarthy (400m), Russell and Flynn handling relay duties, Hendricken clocked 10:09.03 at the Penn Relays Carnival in April.
La Salle also has a chance to break a record or two in the 4x100m and 4x400m. After all, the Rams are owners of those marks with similar squads.
La Salle set the current 4x100m record of 41.59 at the Class A Championships. The 4x400m mark of 3:14.56 was established at last year’s New Balance Nationals.
Keep an eye on the clock at the finish in the girls’ 400m (Sunday, 12:43 p.m.). Moses Brown’s Skyler Maxwell could challenge the three-year-old mark of 54.10 set by her former teammate and two-time US Olympic Trials qualifier Sophia Gorriaran. Maxwell moved to No. 2 on the state’s all-time list with her winning time of 54.68 from the State Meet two weeks ago. Barrington’s Kate Pearse, who was a runner-up to the Quaker standout at the states, is also in the 400m. She clocked a best of 56.70 in that meet, a time that ranks No. 13 all-time.
Along with teammates Rose Coutu, Asmaya Felder and Kendra Satine, Maxwell will also lend her foot speed in the 4x100m relay (Saturday, 3:04 p.m.). Could we see a state record there, too? The current mark is 47.44 by West Warwick in 2024. The Quakers won the State Meet with a best of 47.99.
As always, the hammer throw could produce multiple podium finishers from the Ocean State – including a national champion.
A state record is always possible when La Salle’s Jalen Moseley competes. The La Salle junior has a chance at two this weekend in the long jump (Sunday, 10 a.m.) and the 110m hurdles.
Moseley holds the current state record of 24-6.5, which he did to win the Class A Championships. The nation produced nine jumpers that exceeded 25 feet this season. It appears none will be at New Balance. In other words, a PR performance from Moseley with her winning time of 54.68 from the State Meet two weeks ago. for a top finish. Don’t forget, he is the indoor national titlist.
In the 110m hurdles (Friday, 11:41 a.m.), Moseley will be aiming for a sub 14-second clocking and possible state mark. The current record is 13.97 by Hope’s Yudehweh Gbaa in 2004. The Rams standout came close to Gbaa’s time at the New England’s this past weekend, placing third overall in 14.04.
With the USATF U20 Championships and Nike Outdoor Nationals taking place simultaneously, several of the nation’s top throwers are heading to Oregon this weekend. In the boys’ hammer throw (Saturday, 2 p.m.), that includes the top two athletes in the national rankings—New York’s Charles Sullivan (238-3) and Utah’s Johnny Parker (232-6.5).
With both throwers absent, recent state champion Dimitri Johnson of Bishop Hendricken enters as the favorite. Johnson, who ranks No. 3 nationally, owns a personal best of 230-3. Based on the entries, his chief challenger appears to be state rival Joe Adams of Barrington, who has thrown 220-1 this season. East Greenwich’s Ryan Evans (230-0) and Woonsocket’s Shamrock Thoun (222-6) will also be competing in Oregon.
The girls’ competition (Saturday, 11:30 a.m.) could also bring home a national title for Rhode Island. Ponaganset’s Cecelia Bizon enters as the top seed with a season-best throw of 181-0 from the Sgt. Brian St. Germain Invitational. Bizon was runner-up to Classical’s Nelmrix Santos Mojica at last week’s New England Championships.
Her top threat may be Lexington (MA) standout Ainsley Cuthbertson, who finished third at New Englands and ranks No. 7 nationally with a personal best of 176-6.
The field is missing three of the nation’s top five throwers, including national leader Kim Beard of King’s School (WA), reigning Rhode Island state champion Tayla Schneider of North Kingstown and Santos Mojica, all of whom are competing in Oregon this weekend.
South Kingstown versatile senior Kai Sorlien is among the 14 entries in the decathlon. This spring, Sorlien has achieved PRs in several of the 10 events, most notably the shot. (42-3), javelin (188-9), long jump (20-6.75), 110m hurdles (14.79), and 400m (50.05). At the State Meet, Sorlien captured the javelin and was third in the 110m hurdles.
Sorlien is also entered in the javelin (Sunday, 12 p.m.), an event he ranks No. 14 all-time in the state.
