3 ALL-TIME PREP BESTS have come down the pike since the last issue: boys 200 & 5000, girls 2000 steeple.
19.97 For Issam Asinga
Lubbock, Texas, April 29 — Issam Asinga (Academy, Montverde, Florida) scored a hit and a miss in his latest attempt at High School Records. Running at the Corky/Crofoot Shootout at Texas Tech, the 18-year-old phenom first went after the 100. Admittedly, getting a World Championships qualifier of 10.00 or better was more on his mind than the 10.00 prep standard Trentavis Friday set in ’14.
Lining up in lane 4, with Western Texas find James Dadzie on his left and Tech’s Don’dre Swint on his right, Asinga ran to the line in a near dead heat with Ghanian Dadzie, edging him 9.884–9.888. While 9.89 at first glance looked like a Worlds qualifier and HSR, the wind reading of 3.2 kept it from being either. It was Asinga’s third time running faster than the HSR with too much wind.
The 200 came little more than an hour later. Asinga got out best in lane 7, but was caught by collegian Courtney Lindsey coming off the turn. As they battled down the straight, Dadzie came on fast from lane 8 to take the win in 19.79. Lindsey edge Asinga, 19.94–19.97.
Despite only placing 3rd, Asinga made history. The 1.3 wind reading ensured that his 19.97 would hold up as the new HSR, bettering the 20.09 set by one Noah Lyles at the Olympic Trials in ’16. Lyles was quick to offer praise, tweeting, “Yo I’m so happy to see this. This is the first HS that stayed in HS to run sub-20. I knew he would do it and I’m just glad that I’m here to see it. Congratulations again!”
13:37.30 For Connor Burns
Walnut, California, May 06 — At the On Track Fest Connor Burns (Southern Boone, Ashland, Missouri) took down the 5000 record that has been on his mind all season. He clocked 13:37.30 in his inaugural 5 on the track, clipping 0.61 off Galen Rupp’s 13:37.91 from’04. Rupp had made several attempts at Gerry Lindgren’s venerable ’64 mark of 13:44.0 but Burns needed just the one.
The Duck-to-be first made headlines in ’22 when he broke 4:00, his 3:58.83 taking away Jim Ryun’s 3:59.0 junior class record. Here, he knew the pace would be right as section 2 of the 5000 was loaded with pros looking for a USATF qualifier (13:20.00). But this wasn’t a solo HS attempt, as Tyrone Gorze…
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