Colin Sahlman Runs No. 3 All-Time Prep Mile (3:58.81) To Win Race; Lex Young (7:57.06) and Aaron Sahlman (8:01.72) Roll In 3,000

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The Newbury Park boys took over New York City on Saturday at the Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge at The Armory. 

Three members of the California school's national championship cross country team launched themselves onto the all-time indoor high school top 10 list and two of them challenged national records. 

In a men's invitational 3,000 meters that included international and college runners, junior Lex Young placed fourth in 7:57.06 and junior Aaron Sahlman was eighth in 8:01.72. 

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Young's performance came within a tenth of a second of eclipsing older brother Nico Young's national record of 7:56.97, set at The Armory in 2020. Lex joined Nico as the only preps in history, indoors or out, to run under 7:59 for 3,000 meters. 

Almost joining them, Aaron Sahlman's time is US#4 behind the Young brothers and Drew Hunter. 

Dan Schaffer from Binghamton won the race in 7:53.74.

Then, in the invitational mile, Colin Sahlman became the fourth prep to break the four-minute barrier -- and the first to do it while winning a race. Sahlman ran 3:58.81 to break a meet record held by Justyn Knight of Reebok Boston/Canada in 2020. 

Sahlman's mile time surpasses all but Hobbs Kessler (3:57.66 in 2021) and two races by Drew Hunter (3:57.81 and 3:58.25 in 2016).

He became the 13th high schooler to break the sub-four minute barrier.

And he did it by dominating the final 200 meters, outkicking a field that included pros Ryan Hill and Robby Andrews. Sahlman closed in 27.8 seconds. 

Eric Holt of Empire Athletics was second in 4:00.1.

It was a tremendous first salvo into the 2022 track season for the crew from Newbury Park, who were without Leo Young, who was dealing with some tendonitis in the past month.

Another big moment came in the women's shot put, where Sarah Mitton broke the Canadian national record with a world-leading mark of 62-10.50 (19.16m). 

Ella Baran from Johns Hopkins University smashed the NCAA Division 3 record in the women's mile, running 4:40.53 for seventh place in the invitational section. She broke Missy Butry's 2005 record of 4:43.92.

Esther Seeland of Messiah also produced a Division 3 all-time indoor mark in the women's 800, a race won by On Athletics Club professional Sage Hurta in 2:02.58. Seeland clocked 2:05.90 to finish fourth, eclipsing the record on a 200-meter banked track of 2:06.53 achieved in 2018 by nine-time national champion Emily Richards of Ohio Northern.

Richards (2;05.28) and Christy Cazzola of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (2:05.76) have both run faster times than Seeland on an oversized track, but those performances are not eligible for record consideration. 

BYU pole vaulter Zach McWhorter broke an Armory record Friday in the invitational pole vault with 19 feet, 2.25 inches (5.85m) to equal the No. 5 all-time collegiate indoor competitor. He surpassed current world indoor record holder Mondo Duplantis’ 19-0.75 (5.81m) height in 2017. McWhorter also set the BYU record.

Sondre Guttormsen of Princeton was second in 18-10.25 (5.75m), with both he and McWhorter surpassing the 2019 meet record of 18-8.75 (5.71m) achieved by the Norwegian athlete during his time competing at UCLA.

In the men's long jump, Marquis Dendy went 26-7 (8.10m).