Quigley Earns Redemption In Women's Mile Win Over Houlihan

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Colleen Quigley had two weeks to think about how to execute her mile better than she had at the NYRR Millrose Games.

Quigley wasn’t happy with her second-place finish Feb. 9 to Konstanze Klosterhalfen and was determined to race with more gusto for the Toyota USATF Indoor title. She did that, dethroning Bowerman Track Club teammate Shelby Houlihan, who seemingly wins everything the past couple of years, in 4 minutes, 29.47 seconds.

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“Millrose was bittersweet,” Quigley said. “I PR’d by two seconds but going back as the defending champion I wanted to win again, and I got beat pretty soundly there, and in my mind I didn’t execute the race plan my coach set out for me.

“I felt like I had more running left in me when I crossed the finish line and that’s always frustrating. It was definitely fuel for the fire for this weekend.”

Houlihan, who won the U.S. cross country title Feb. 2, returned to the track and didn’t have enough speed at the end of the race. Quigley was faster on the final lap.

Now Houlihan has more fuel for her fire. She had won her previous eight national championship races.

“You never want to get beat,” Houlihan said. “I feel like the mile is a little bit more of my expertise right now, so it stings a little bit.

“I knew Colleen was fast. I knew I couldn’t let her get away from me. Maybe I should have made a stronger move earlier (in the race) or something.”

The women’s mile provided one of the highlights of Saturday’s second day of action at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex.

Drew Hunter will never forget how he won his first U.S. track title. The 21-year old without a seed time was relegated to the afternoon 'B' heat of the 2-mile. He got some early pacing help from his Tinman Elite teammates and put down a time of 8:25.29.

“I don’t even know what a good 2-mile time is. Is that good?” Hunter asked after the race.

He expected the 'A' heat at the end of the day to wipe him off the board and planned to leave the building.

However, he stayed to watch a tactical race unfold, and after the first mile, Hunter, standing beside the rail, could barely conceal his excitement. Eric Avila won the final race in 8:32.41 – handing Hunter the victory.

High school star Athing Mu of the Trenton Track Club of New Jersey broke the World U-20 record in the women’s 600 meters in a stunning, virtuoso performance (1:26.23) that led all qualifying in of the meet’s deepest events. She’ll race in the final Sunday.

Kate Hall, a former star at Georgia, collected her first U.S. title in the long jump. Hall led six women over 20 feet and had two marks over 21. Hall’s best of 21-4.25 (6.51m) beat second-place Quanesha Burks by almost five inches.

Andrew Irwin of the Arkansas Vault Club won his first U.S. title in the pole vault, clearing the 19-0.75 (5.80m) to win handily. Irwin came in at 18-1 and after he made that bar there were only three competitors left.  

Olympians Ryan Crouser and Vashti Cunningham rolled through their competitions much like they had at the NYRR Millrose Games, winning by wide margins.

Cunningham soared over the bar at 6-5 (1.96m) to claim her fourth consecutive USATF Indoor title. Crouser overcame a cold and managed to throw 72-10.75 (22.22m) to beat friendly rival Joe Kovacs by more than two feet.

Racewalker Nick Christie picked up where he left off at Millrose, adding the indoor 3,000 meters title (11:35.34) to the 1-mile crown.

Tim Ehrhardt of the Santa Barbara Track Club won the men’s heptathlon with 5,868 points, registering a big win in the pole vault to take a commanding lead with one event to go.

Some of the events that lacked star power provided an opening for some off-the-radar athletes to grab a moment of glory. Jordan Downs of Bethel College (Indiana) put a marker down for small colleges when he won the long jump at 25-4.50 (7.73m). Downs will move on from his victory at Staten Island and compete at the NAIA Indoor Championships next week.

Dontavius Wright, who won an NCAA Division 2 title at Stillman College, beat Manteo Mitchell and Brycen Spratling to win the men’s 300 meters in 32.81 seconds.

Jeron Robinson, a member of the 2017 U.S. World Championships team, won the men’s high jump at 7-4.25 (2.24m).

Brittany Brown, formerly of Iowa, won the women’s 300 meters, edging out Gabby Thomas 35.92 to 35.95.

In addition to Mu, there were more significant high school results.

North Carolina ninth-grader Kayla Davis of Run U Xpress broke the national high school freshman record in the 300 meters in the first round (37.74) and then surpassed it on the way to third place in the final (37.46). Davis moves up to No. 3 on the all-time list, behind luminaries Sydney McLaughlin and Francena McCorory.

Matthew Payamps from St. Anthony’s NY hung tough in the men’s 1,000 meters first round and crossed the finish line in 2:23.46. That broke the New York state record and moved him to No. 2 on the all-time list behind Robby Andrews.