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One of the biggest outdoor track and field events of the year is set to commence.
The New Balance Outdoor Nationals will take place starting Thursday, June 18, through Sunday, June 21. Close to a thousand athletes will descend upon Philadelphia, competing at Franklin Field on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.
Here are 38 boys track and field standouts to watch, in alphabetical order, heading into the New Balance Nationals.
Event(s): 2-mile run, 2,000-meter steeplechase
Analysis: Barbee has emerged as one of the top distance runners in western North Carolina, earning Asheville Citizen-Times All-Western North Carolina Runner of the Year recognition after becoming only the second Christ School runner to break 15 minutes in the 3,200. This spring, he swept the 800 and 1600 at the CAA championship, showing range beyond pure distance work. He is ranked No. 7 in the 2-mile run.
Event(s): 400 hurdles, 4x100 relay, 4x200 relay, 4x110 shuttle hurdle
Analysis: Brown enters the New Balance Nationals ranked No. 8 in the 400 hurdles off a strong outdoor mark, winning the NJSIAA Group 2 and 3 Championship before placing second in the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. He'll look to continue his momentum on the outdoor circuit.
Event(s): 400 hurdles
Analysis: Brown became a national storyline this spring after breaking the North Carolina all-time 300-meter hurdles record at 35.96, then anchoring Mallard Creek's 4x400 to the state title — only for a celebratory hand gesture to trigger a disqualification that briefly cost his team the championship before the NCHSAA overturned the call and named Mallard Creek and Jordan co-champions. He arrives in Philadelphia ranked No. 4 nationally in the 400 hurdles and is committed to North Carolina State.
Event(s): 4x400 relay, high jump, long jump
Analysis: Buskey is defending his title in the high jump after clearing 7 feet, 1 inch to win the title last summer. The Georgia-bound senior shares the New York state record at 7 feet, 3 inches and has been chasing 7 feet, 4 inches all spring.
Event(s): 110 hurdles, 4x400 relay
Analysis: Calcano Da Silva is Massachusetts's newly crowned Meet of Champions winner in the 400 hurdles, off a time of 52.37 this spring that ranked among the nation's best. He backed it up at New Englands, finishing a hundredth of a second from the 300 hurdles title and anchoring Abington's state-record-breaking 4x400 relay.
Event(s): 2,000-meter steeplechase
Analysis: The distance runner has been good this season for Arlington, placing first in the steeplechase back in May with a time of 6:08.76, an eight-second improvement from a year ago. He's also emerged as one of Massachusetts's top senior performers in the 800 this season, rounding out a versatile distance resume.
Event(s): 400-meter, 110 hurdles
Analysis: Dalles goes to Philly red-hot off New Englands, where he won the 300m hurdles in 37.70, holding off the field by just a hundredth of a second. He's also the two-time defending New England indoor 600 champion, having gone back-to-back this winter in 1:20.51, giving the Coginchaug senior a blend of hurdling technique and 400-caliber speed heading into Franklin Field.
Event(s): 100-meter, 400-meter, 110 hurdles, 4x200 relay, 4x400 relay
Analysis: Davis was a part of a personal-best 1:23.64 on Archbishop Carroll's 4x200 relay team at last year's New Balance event, after the Lions broke the national high school indoor record in that event three times during his junior season, capping it at 1:24.37 at New Balance Nationals Indoor. He's also down to a 21.28 in the open 200 this year, giving Carroll's relay another gear as the Lions look to add to their record-setting relay team.
Event(s): Long jump, triple jump
Analysis: Garcon broke out at Kissimmee Gateway this spring, adding more than two feet to his long jump and over three feet to his triple jump relative to a year ago. He also cleared 6 feet, 3 1/2 inches in the high jump. He took home first in the FHSAA Class 3A Championships in the triple jump.
Event(s): High jump
Analysis: Gaskins is Connecticut's new State Open high jump record holder, clearing 7 feet, 1 inch to win the title and coming within inches of the state's all-time best mark. He climbed from 6 feet, 8 inches early this spring to a meet-record 7 feet at the Greater Hartford Invitational before topping that again at states.
Event(s): 1-mile run, 2-mile run, distance medley relay
Analysis: Gibson enters coming off back-to-back sub-4:09 miles, running 4:08.74 this spring after going 4:08.80 as a junior, remarkable consistency at the front of North Carolina's distance scene. The Duke commit also won the Eastern States cross country title last fall, giving him both range and resume.
Event(s): 2,000-meter steeplechase
Analysis: Heltzel is one of Pennsylvania's most complete middle-distance threats, showing up in the state's top rankings across the 800, 1600, and 3200 this season. He's also cut his 2000-meter steeplechase down to 6:09.80, a steady multi-year drop from 6:45 as a sophomore.
Event(s): 800-meter, 1-mile run
Analysis: Horeni posted a top five U.S. time in the 800 at the HOKA Festival of Miles, winning on the lean in a personal-best 1:48.58 earlier this month. He's been sharp across the board this spring, also dropping his 1600 time down to 4:09.77, making him one of Illinois's most versatile threats from 400 meters up to the mile.
Event(s): 2,000-meter steeplechase, 4x800 relay
Analysis: Jackelow heads to NBNO as a steeplechase specialist who broke through this spring, cutting his 3000-meter steeplechase down to 9:23.51, about 17 seconds faster than a year ago. He's also a fixture across New York's combined 800-1600 and 1600-3200 rankings this season, giving the Emory commit range to factor in multiple distance events. He'll be racing in the 2,000-meter steeplechase in what's expected to be a stacked field.
Event(s): Decathlon
Analysis: Johnson heads to Philadelphia as a true all-around threat. The Purdue-committed decathlete has added nearly three feet to his long jump this spring, soaring from 22 feet, 5 3/4 inches to a personal-best 25 feet, 3 3/4 inches. He's also sharpened his 110 hurdles down to 14.66, giving him speed and explosiveness across his strongest events as he chases another big decathlon total.
Event(s): 100-meter
Analysis: Kennedy is one of Texas's most versatile sprinters, running personal bests of 10.24 in the 100, 20.54 in the 200, and 46.87 in the 400 this season. The Keller Fossil Ridge senior earned Dallas-Fort Worth All-City First Team honors and shows up across the state's 100-200 and 200-400 combo rankings,
Event(s): 4x400 relay
Analysis: Kinsley heads to Philadelphia off a massive senior breakthrough, vaulting from 9 feet to a personal-best 14 feet, 6 inches while also dropping his 110 hurdles time down to 14.20. He carried that form into the NJSIAA Meet of Champions, reaching the 400 hurdles final with a time that ranks sixth-best in the country. He isn't running any of those races but is slated to run on a 4x400 relay team.
Event(s): 5,000-meter run
Analysis: With Valor TC Portland, Laverdiere placed first in the UMASS Ken O'Brien Pre-Conference meet with a time of 14:44.94. He is Maine's reigning Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year, having won the Class B state title in 15:52.79, 23 seconds ahead of the field.
Event(s): Decathlon
Analysis: Lingo is of Arkansas's most complete multi-event threats, ranking among the state's top performers this season in the pole vault, high jump, long jump, 100, 200, and 300 hurdles. He's sharpened his hurdling this spring, dropping the 300 hurdles to 38.46 and the 110 hurdles to 14.44 to make him a prime threat in the decathlon.
Event(s): Shot put, discus
Analysis: Mason's been elite in the shot put and discus this season, going unbeaten since April 25 in the shot put and unbeaten since the start of April in discus. His discus mark ranks No. 12 in the nation heading into Thursday's meet.
Event(s): 800-meter, 1-mile run
Analysis: McDonald has been solid in mid-distance this year, taking the CHSAA State Championship with Summit on May 15. His mark in that race ranks 11th in the country and will aim to improve his marks in the 1-mile run, where he most recently ran a 4:00.29 at the HOKA Festival of Miles on June 4, 2026.
Event(s): 800-meter, sprint medley relay
Analysis: Murphy already has experience on the Franklin Field track this year, having earned the only spot for a Pennsylvania boy in the Penn Relays high school mile championship behind his personal-best 4:12.95. He's also dropped his 800 down to 1:48.53 this spring, an improvement from last year's 1:50.44, and shows up across the state's 800-1600 combo rankings.
Event(s): 400 hurdles, 4x400 relay
Analysis: Peck enters New Balance Nationals with the 12th-fastest 400-meter hurdles time in the country this season, capping a year that has solidified him as one of New York's premier hurdlers. The North Babylon senior, a state qualifier and federation champion in the hurdles, will double back in the 4x400 relay.
Event(s): 100-meter, 200-meter
Analysis: Pickett owns the 12th-best 100-meter time and 20th-best 200-meter mark in the country this season. The Pearl standout has paired consistency with top-end speed throughout the spring and will look to perform well in his two-best events.
Event(s): 2,000-meter steeplechase
Analysis: One of the top distance runners in New York City, Ramot posted a 9:34.44 personal best in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a New York Relays steeplechase title this spring and has become one of PSAL's premier talents.
Event(s): 200-meter, 4x400 relay
Analysis: Samuels will pull double duty in Philadelphia, lining up in both the 200 meters and 4x400 relay for a Shadow Creek program that has become a fixture on the national sprint scene. The Texas standout has spent the spring matching up with some of the state's fastest athletes and now gets a chance to do the same on a national stage.
Event(s): Discus
Analysis: Samuels capped off an impressive discus throw of 208 feet, 1 inch this spring, a mark that places him amongst the elite high school throwers in the country. Samuels has a mark that ranks eighth in the country in discus, along with a shot-put throw of 61 feet, 5 inches.
Event(s): 800-meter, 1-mile run, 2-mile run, 4x800 relay
Analysis: Sangely has emerged as one of the nation's top middle-distance runners after running a national-leading 1:49.64 in the 800 meters at the Florida Relays and helping Spanish River post a U.S. No. 1 time in the 4x800 relay. The Florida cross country state champion has shown remarkable range from the 800 through the 5K.
Event(s): Pole vault
Analysis: Schnieber has vaulted his way into the national conversation this season, clearing 17 feet, 1 1/4 inch to win the Miami Valley Conference title before capturing another Ohio state championship. Still just a junior, he enters New Balance Nationals after a year that saw him establish himself among the nation's top pole vaulters and continue a rapid rise that began with a state-record sophomore campaign.
Event(s): 800-meter, 4x400 relay, 4x400 mixed relay
Analysis: Few athletes in the country can match Sharp's range. The Penn State signee won the PIAA Class 3A title in the 800 meters, owns personal bests of 47.85 in the 400 and 1:50.38 in the 800, and broke Pennsylvania's state record in the 600 meters during the indoor season.
Event(s): 4x100 relay, long jump, triple jump
Analysis: Skeete is one of the country's premier horizontal jumpers after breaking the Massachusetts all-time outdoor record with a leap of 51 feet, 2 inches in the triple jump. The Catholic Memorial standout has also surpassed 24 feet in the long jump this season, giving him legitimate All-American potential in both events.
Event(s): 1-mile run, distance medley relay
Analysis: Smith has been exceptional this year with Mifflin County, running a personal best 3:59.00 in the 1-mile run at the HOKA Festival of Miles, along with a 3:57.50 in the 1600, and a 3:41.95 in the 1500. He has one of the fastest times in the field.
Event(s): 2-mile run, 4x1 yard relay, 4x800 relay, distance medley relay
Analysis: Few runners have been as dominant in Utah this season as Spencer, who lowered his 3,200-meter best to 8:39.59 and emerged as one of the nation's top long-distance talents. The BYU signee will look to add a national result to an already impressive senior campaign.
Event(s): Decathlon
Analysis: There may not be a more versatile athlete in the meet than Spierdowis. The sophomore state champion owns a 6,700-plus point decathlon score while also posting marks of 46 feet, 9 inches in the triple jump, 13 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault, 6 feet 2 3/4 inches in the high jump, and 38.12 in the 300-meter hurdles. His ability to excel across nearly every event makes him one of the most fascinating athletes to follow, despite only doing the decathlon.
Event(s): 5,000-meter run, 4x1 yard relay, distance medley relay
Analysis: Vermont athletes rarely enter national meets with credentials like Thornton-Sherman's. After running 4:06 for the mile and rewriting state record books throughout his senior season, the Stanford signee will look to show why he's one of the top distance runners in the field.
Event(s): 400-meter
Analysis: Tucker has quietly become one of the nation's top quarter-milers, lowering his personal best to 45.93 this season after winning North Carolina state titles in both the 200 and 400. The Robinson standout arrives in Philadelphia with the speed to contend in a loaded 400-meter field and the versatility of an athlete who has also run 10.29 in the 100 and 20.66 in the 200.
Event(s): 400-meter, 4x400 relay
Analysis: At just 18 years old, Wilson has already done what few high school athletes ever will: win Olympic gold and set a national record. After running 44.10 this season, the Bullis star arrives in Philadelphia with a résumé unlike anyone else in the meet and the fastest 400-meter time in prep history.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin or via email: [email protected]. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow @usatodayhss on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Balance Nationals Outdoor boys track and field athletes to know
Continue reading...
The New Balance Outdoor Nationals will take place starting Thursday, June 18, through Sunday, June 21. Close to a thousand athletes will descend upon Philadelphia, competing at Franklin Field on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.
Here are 38 boys track and field standouts to watch, in alphabetical order, heading into the New Balance Nationals.
Brooks Barbee, Christ School (N.C.)
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Event(s): 2-mile run, 2,000-meter steeplechase
Analysis: Barbee has emerged as one of the top distance runners in western North Carolina, earning Asheville Citizen-Times All-Western North Carolina Runner of the Year recognition after becoming only the second Christ School runner to break 15 minutes in the 3,200. This spring, he swept the 800 and 1600 at the CAA championship, showing range beyond pure distance work. He is ranked No. 7 in the 2-mile run.
Kareem Brown, Deptford Township (N.J.)
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Event(s): 400 hurdles, 4x100 relay, 4x200 relay, 4x110 shuttle hurdle
Analysis: Brown enters the New Balance Nationals ranked No. 8 in the 400 hurdles off a strong outdoor mark, winning the NJSIAA Group 2 and 3 Championship before placing second in the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. He'll look to continue his momentum on the outdoor circuit.
Nyan Brown, Mallard Creek (N.C.)
Event(s): 400 hurdles
Analysis: Brown became a national storyline this spring after breaking the North Carolina all-time 300-meter hurdles record at 35.96, then anchoring Mallard Creek's 4x400 to the state title — only for a celebratory hand gesture to trigger a disqualification that briefly cost his team the championship before the NCHSAA overturned the call and named Mallard Creek and Jordan co-champions. He arrives in Philadelphia ranked No. 4 nationally in the 400 hurdles and is committed to North Carolina State.
Ryan Buskey, Colonie Central (N.Y.)
Event(s): 4x400 relay, high jump, long jump
Analysis: Buskey is defending his title in the high jump after clearing 7 feet, 1 inch to win the title last summer. The Georgia-bound senior shares the New York state record at 7 feet, 3 inches and has been chasing 7 feet, 4 inches all spring.
Aiden Calcano Da Silva, Abington (Mass.)
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Event(s): 110 hurdles, 4x400 relay
Analysis: Calcano Da Silva is Massachusetts's newly crowned Meet of Champions winner in the 400 hurdles, off a time of 52.37 this spring that ranked among the nation's best. He backed it up at New Englands, finishing a hundredth of a second from the 300 hurdles title and anchoring Abington's state-record-breaking 4x400 relay.
Daichi Collins, Arlington (Mass.)
Event(s): 2,000-meter steeplechase
Analysis: The distance runner has been good this season for Arlington, placing first in the steeplechase back in May with a time of 6:08.76, an eight-second improvement from a year ago. He's also emerged as one of Massachusetts's top senior performers in the 800 this season, rounding out a versatile distance resume.
Charles Dalles, Coginchaug (Conn.)
Event(s): 400-meter, 110 hurdles
Analysis: Dalles goes to Philly red-hot off New Englands, where he won the 300m hurdles in 37.70, holding off the field by just a hundredth of a second. He's also the two-time defending New England indoor 600 champion, having gone back-to-back this winter in 1:20.51, giving the Coginchaug senior a blend of hurdling technique and 400-caliber speed heading into Franklin Field.
Keenen Davis, Archbishop Carroll (D.C.)
Event(s): 100-meter, 400-meter, 110 hurdles, 4x200 relay, 4x400 relay
Analysis: Davis was a part of a personal-best 1:23.64 on Archbishop Carroll's 4x200 relay team at last year's New Balance event, after the Lions broke the national high school indoor record in that event three times during his junior season, capping it at 1:24.37 at New Balance Nationals Indoor. He's also down to a 21.28 in the open 200 this year, giving Carroll's relay another gear as the Lions look to add to their record-setting relay team.
Maxwell Garcon, Gateway (Fla.)
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Event(s): Long jump, triple jump
Analysis: Garcon broke out at Kissimmee Gateway this spring, adding more than two feet to his long jump and over three feet to his triple jump relative to a year ago. He also cleared 6 feet, 3 1/2 inches in the high jump. He took home first in the FHSAA Class 3A Championships in the triple jump.
Christian Gaskins, E.O. Smith (Conn.)
Event(s): High jump
Analysis: Gaskins is Connecticut's new State Open high jump record holder, clearing 7 feet, 1 inch to win the title and coming within inches of the state's all-time best mark. He climbed from 6 feet, 8 inches early this spring to a meet-record 7 feet at the Greater Hartford Invitational before topping that again at states.
Kavi Gibson, Cary Academy (N.C.)
Event(s): 1-mile run, 2-mile run, distance medley relay
Analysis: Gibson enters coming off back-to-back sub-4:09 miles, running 4:08.74 this spring after going 4:08.80 as a junior, remarkable consistency at the front of North Carolina's distance scene. The Duke commit also won the Eastern States cross country title last fall, giving him both range and resume.
Burke Heltzel, Northern (Pa.)
Event(s): 2,000-meter steeplechase
Analysis: Heltzel is one of Pennsylvania's most complete middle-distance threats, showing up in the state's top rankings across the 800, 1600, and 3200 this season. He's also cut his 2000-meter steeplechase down to 6:09.80, a steady multi-year drop from 6:45 as a sophomore.
Owen Horeni, Yorkville (Ill.)
Event(s): 800-meter, 1-mile run
Analysis: Horeni posted a top five U.S. time in the 800 at the HOKA Festival of Miles, winning on the lean in a personal-best 1:48.58 earlier this month. He's been sharp across the board this spring, also dropping his 1600 time down to 4:09.77, making him one of Illinois's most versatile threats from 400 meters up to the mile.
Braeden Jackelow, Manhasset (N.Y.)
Event(s): 2,000-meter steeplechase, 4x800 relay
Analysis: Jackelow heads to NBNO as a steeplechase specialist who broke through this spring, cutting his 3000-meter steeplechase down to 9:23.51, about 17 seconds faster than a year ago. He's also a fixture across New York's combined 800-1600 and 1600-3200 rankings this season, giving the Emory commit range to factor in multiple distance events. He'll be racing in the 2,000-meter steeplechase in what's expected to be a stacked field.
Nathaniel Johnson, John Jay-East Fishkill (N.Y.)
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Event(s): Decathlon
Analysis: Johnson heads to Philadelphia as a true all-around threat. The Purdue-committed decathlete has added nearly three feet to his long jump this spring, soaring from 22 feet, 5 3/4 inches to a personal-best 25 feet, 3 3/4 inches. He's also sharpened his 110 hurdles down to 14.66, giving him speed and explosiveness across his strongest events as he chases another big decathlon total.
Jayden Kennedy, Keller Fossil Ridge (Texas)
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Event(s): 100-meter
Analysis: Kennedy is one of Texas's most versatile sprinters, running personal bests of 10.24 in the 100, 20.54 in the 200, and 46.87 in the 400 this season. The Keller Fossil Ridge senior earned Dallas-Fort Worth All-City First Team honors and shows up across the state's 100-200 and 200-400 combo rankings,
Kasey Kinsley, Hunterdon Central (N.J.)
Event(s): 4x400 relay
Analysis: Kinsley heads to Philadelphia off a massive senior breakthrough, vaulting from 9 feet to a personal-best 14 feet, 6 inches while also dropping his 110 hurdles time down to 14.20. He carried that form into the NJSIAA Meet of Champions, reaching the 400 hurdles final with a time that ranks sixth-best in the country. He isn't running any of those races but is slated to run on a 4x400 relay team.
Sam Laverdiere, Lake Region (Me.)
Event(s): 5,000-meter run
Analysis: With Valor TC Portland, Laverdiere placed first in the UMASS Ken O'Brien Pre-Conference meet with a time of 14:44.94. He is Maine's reigning Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year, having won the Class B state title in 15:52.79, 23 seconds ahead of the field.
Dalton Lingo, Bentonville West (Ark.)
Event(s): Decathlon
Analysis: Lingo is of Arkansas's most complete multi-event threats, ranking among the state's top performers this season in the pole vault, high jump, long jump, 100, 200, and 300 hurdles. He's sharpened his hurdling this spring, dropping the 300 hurdles to 38.46 and the 110 hurdles to 14.44 to make him a prime threat in the decathlon.
Anthony Mason, Crofton (Md.)
Event(s): Shot put, discus
Analysis: Mason's been elite in the shot put and discus this season, going unbeaten since April 25 in the shot put and unbeaten since the start of April in discus. His discus mark ranks No. 12 in the nation heading into Thursday's meet.
Jay McDonald, Summit (Colo.)
Event(s): 800-meter, 1-mile run
Analysis: McDonald has been solid in mid-distance this year, taking the CHSAA State Championship with Summit on May 15. His mark in that race ranks 11th in the country and will aim to improve his marks in the 1-mile run, where he most recently ran a 4:00.29 at the HOKA Festival of Miles on June 4, 2026.
Joseph Murphy, Hershey (Pa.)
Event(s): 800-meter, sprint medley relay
Analysis: Murphy already has experience on the Franklin Field track this year, having earned the only spot for a Pennsylvania boy in the Penn Relays high school mile championship behind his personal-best 4:12.95. He's also dropped his 800 down to 1:48.53 this spring, an improvement from last year's 1:50.44, and shows up across the state's 800-1600 combo rankings.
Jordan Peck, North Babylon (N.Y.)
Event(s): 400 hurdles, 4x400 relay
Analysis: Peck enters New Balance Nationals with the 12th-fastest 400-meter hurdles time in the country this season, capping a year that has solidified him as one of New York's premier hurdlers. The North Babylon senior, a state qualifier and federation champion in the hurdles, will double back in the 4x400 relay.
Braden Pickett, Pearl (Miss.)
Event(s): 100-meter, 200-meter
Analysis: Pickett owns the 12th-best 100-meter time and 20th-best 200-meter mark in the country this season. The Pearl standout has paired consistency with top-end speed throughout the spring and will look to perform well in his two-best events.
Raphael Ramot, Stuvyesant (N.Y.)
Event(s): 2,000-meter steeplechase
Analysis: One of the top distance runners in New York City, Ramot posted a 9:34.44 personal best in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a New York Relays steeplechase title this spring and has become one of PSAL's premier talents.
Kaleb Samuels, Shadow Creek (Texas)
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Event(s): 200-meter, 4x400 relay
Analysis: Samuels will pull double duty in Philadelphia, lining up in both the 200 meters and 4x400 relay for a Shadow Creek program that has become a fixture on the national sprint scene. The Texas standout has spent the spring matching up with some of the state's fastest athletes and now gets a chance to do the same on a national stage.
Roan Samuels, Salesianum (Del.)
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Event(s): Discus
Analysis: Samuels capped off an impressive discus throw of 208 feet, 1 inch this spring, a mark that places him amongst the elite high school throwers in the country. Samuels has a mark that ranks eighth in the country in discus, along with a shot-put throw of 61 feet, 5 inches.
Preston Sangely, Spanish River (Fla.)
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Event(s): 800-meter, 1-mile run, 2-mile run, 4x800 relay
Analysis: Sangely has emerged as one of the nation's top middle-distance runners after running a national-leading 1:49.64 in the 800 meters at the Florida Relays and helping Spanish River post a U.S. No. 1 time in the 4x800 relay. The Florida cross country state champion has shown remarkable range from the 800 through the 5K.
Luke Schneiber, Cincinnati Country Day (Ohio)
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Event(s): Pole vault
Analysis: Schnieber has vaulted his way into the national conversation this season, clearing 17 feet, 1 1/4 inch to win the Miami Valley Conference title before capturing another Ohio state championship. Still just a junior, he enters New Balance Nationals after a year that saw him establish himself among the nation's top pole vaulters and continue a rapid rise that began with a state-record sophomore campaign.
Joshua Sharp, Upper Darby (Pa.)
Event(s): 800-meter, 4x400 relay, 4x400 mixed relay
Analysis: Few athletes in the country can match Sharp's range. The Penn State signee won the PIAA Class 3A title in the 800 meters, owns personal bests of 47.85 in the 400 and 1:50.38 in the 800, and broke Pennsylvania's state record in the 600 meters during the indoor season.
Amar Skeete, Catholic Memorial (Mass.)
Event(s): 4x100 relay, long jump, triple jump
Analysis: Skeete is one of the country's premier horizontal jumpers after breaking the Massachusetts all-time outdoor record with a leap of 51 feet, 2 inches in the triple jump. The Catholic Memorial standout has also surpassed 24 feet in the long jump this season, giving him legitimate All-American potential in both events.
Carter Smith, Mifflin County (Pa.)
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Event(s): 1-mile run, distance medley relay
Analysis: Smith has been exceptional this year with Mifflin County, running a personal best 3:59.00 in the 1-mile run at the HOKA Festival of Miles, along with a 3:57.50 in the 1600, and a 3:41.95 in the 1500. He has one of the fastest times in the field.
Jackson Spencer, Herriman (Utah)
Event(s): 2-mile run, 4x1 yard relay, 4x800 relay, distance medley relay
Analysis: Few runners have been as dominant in Utah this season as Spencer, who lowered his 3,200-meter best to 8:39.59 and emerged as one of the nation's top long-distance talents. The BYU signee will look to add a national result to an already impressive senior campaign.
Waylon Spierdowis, Gibbs (Tenn.)
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Event(s): Decathlon
Analysis: There may not be a more versatile athlete in the meet than Spierdowis. The sophomore state champion owns a 6,700-plus point decathlon score while also posting marks of 46 feet, 9 inches in the triple jump, 13 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault, 6 feet 2 3/4 inches in the high jump, and 38.12 in the 300-meter hurdles. His ability to excel across nearly every event makes him one of the most fascinating athletes to follow, despite only doing the decathlon.
Joel Thornton-Sherman, St. Johnsbury (Vt.)
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Event(s): 5,000-meter run, 4x1 yard relay, distance medley relay
Analysis: Vermont athletes rarely enter national meets with credentials like Thornton-Sherman's. After running 4:06 for the mile and rewriting state record books throughout his senior season, the Stanford signee will look to show why he's one of the top distance runners in the field.
Cameron Tucker, Robinson (N.C.)
Event(s): 400-meter
Analysis: Tucker has quietly become one of the nation's top quarter-milers, lowering his personal best to 45.93 this season after winning North Carolina state titles in both the 200 and 400. The Robinson standout arrives in Philadelphia with the speed to contend in a loaded 400-meter field and the versatility of an athlete who has also run 10.29 in the 100 and 20.66 in the 200.
Quincy Wilson, Bullis School (Md.)
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Event(s): 400-meter, 4x400 relay
Analysis: At just 18 years old, Wilson has already done what few high school athletes ever will: win Olympic gold and set a national record. After running 44.10 this season, the Bullis star arrives in Philadelphia with a résumé unlike anyone else in the meet and the fastest 400-meter time in prep history.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin or via email: [email protected]. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow @usatodayhss on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Balance Nationals Outdoor boys track and field athletes to know
Continue reading...
