DyeStat.com – News – Pentathlon Title at adidas Track Nationals Provides Right Perspective Following Debut for Prairie Ridge’s Rylee Lydon

Illinois state record holder and Texas A&M signee elevates to No. 5 all-time prep athlete with 3,844 points in Virginia Beach, highlighted by personal-best 5-8.75 (1.75m) high jump effort

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Rylee Lydon produced the best debut in an indoor pentathlon in U.S. prep history by accumulating 3,844 points to capture the championship at the adidas Track Nationals.

And like most elite multi-event athletes, the senior at Prairie Ridge High in Illinois concluded the competition March 17 at the Virginia Beach Sports Center knowing she had barely scratched the surface of her potential in the one-day, five-event showcase.

Lydon, a Texas A&M signee, also achieved the Illinois state record and elevated to the No. 5 all-time high school competitor, adding the pentathlon title to her heptathlon crown representing TNT Track and Field Academy in the 17-18 division at the USATF Junior Olympics in July in Sacramento.

“After competing in the heptathlon last year, I was curious about trying out the pentathlon this year because I wanted to see how I would do,” said Lydon, who amassed 4,784 points in her heptathlon debut in July at the USATF Region 7 meet at Wabash College in Indiana.

“It was exciting to finally have the opportunity to try it out at Virginia Beach because my high school meets don’t offer that event. I honestly wasn’t too focused on a specific point total, I more so just wanted to see what score I could come out with since it was my first time doing that event.”

Lydon surpassed the best pentathlon debut score by a prep athlete of 3,827 points established in 2005 by California state record holder and former Long Beach Poly High standout Shana Woods at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships at The Armory in New York.

Lydon also eclipsed the 2009 Illinois state record of 3,627 points produced by Keia Pinnick of Waubonsie Valley High at the Nike Indoor Nationals at the Reggie Lewis Center in Massachusetts.

Throughout the winter season, Lydon competed in four events in one day on multiple occasions in preparation for the challenge of completing five events in six hours at adidas Track Nationals.

Although she achieved a personal-best 5-8.75 (1.75m) on her first opportunity in the high jump, after surviving a third-attempt clearance at 5-6.50 (1.69m), Lydon shared following the meet that her performances in the 60-meter hurdles, shot put, long jump and 800 meters could have all been stronger.

Lydon ran 9.47 in the 60…