LHS JUNIOR Kate Mitchell poses with her third-place medal in front of the New Balance National Outdoor Track and Field Championship sign after she posted another personal best 800-meter time of 2:12.52. (Courtesy Photo)
Published in the June 21, 2017 edition
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Kate Mitchell, a junior at Lynnfield High School, placed fifth in the girls’ 800-meter run in the Emerging Elite division of the New Balance National Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
At the event held in Greensboro, N.C. on Sunday, June 18, Mitchell set a new personal record (PR) of 2:12.52. She placed second in her heat, which was the third heat. A total of 28 athletes competed in the 800-meter event.
Mitchell posted splits of 1:04.997 in the opening lap and 1:07.520 in the final lap for a combined time of 2:12.517, which was rounded up to 2:12.52.
The race was won by Madison Kiser of Royal Center, Indiana with a time of 2:11.16 and splits of 1:03.784 and 1:07.370. Kiser also competed in the third heat with Mitchell.
RUNNER’S HIGH. Kate Mitchell looks strong as she passes several competitors in her heat in the 800-meter race at the National Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Father’s Day in North Carolina. She placed third overall in the nation. (Mary Ann Magnant Photo)
Placing second through fourth were: Shalah Means of Brooklyn, N.Y. (2:11.85); Therese Olshanksi of Mountain Lakes, N.J. (2:12.04) and Victoria Heiligen of Commerce, Michigan (2:12.06). Means and Heiligen competed in the second heat while Olshanski ran in the first heat.
Out of the 28 competitors, only two runners in addition to Mitchell hailed from Massachusetts. Sara Fragione of Methuen finished 18th (2:14.94) and Marina MacKinnon of Marshfield was 26th overall (2:18.76).
Both the meet record and the national girls’ high school record in 800-meter race remained standing. Ceara Watson of Rush High School in Henrietta, N.Y. set the meet record of 2:08.61 in 2015.
The national record in the girls’ 800-meter race has held up for going on 35 years. Kim Gallagher of Upper Dublin High School in Fort Washington, Pa., set the mark of 2:00.07 on July 24, 1982.
Measured progress for Mitchell
Mitchell continues to get stronger in each race she runs.
The junior earned the No. 1 seed out of 32 competitors with a qualifying time of 2:19.27 for the Div. 4 East track and field championships. She held onto that ranking while significantly improving upon her seed time to win the Div. 4 East state championship title with a time of 2:15.92.
Her state title time at the division level served as her qualifying time and fourth-place seeding in the MIAA All-State Championship meet, where she once again improved upon her Div. 4 state title time by finishing third overall out a field of 26 runners with a PR of 2:13.11.
