Kansas Standout Looks For Sub-Four After Running Under 4:01 Twice Indoors

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Photo by John Nepolitan

Clay Shively from Trinity Academy in Wichita, Kan. is hoping that Friday night is the night. 

Shively is entered in the seeded boys mile at the Trials of Miles at Icahn on Randalls Island in New York. 

Shively has been through trials in order to secure a sub-four mile. He ran 4:00.70 in Boston at the David Hemrey Valentine Invitational at BU on Feb. 10. He returned to Boston a month later and won the mile at New Balance Nationals Indoor in 4:00.47 on March 10. 

It would seem that he is due to join the exclusive sub-four prep list. He ran 8:44.29 in the 2-mile on March 30 at the Shawnee Mission South Relays. 

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Shively will be in a field that includes Martin Barco of Martinsville IN, who could become the Hoosier state's first sub-four prep miler after having run 4:05.62 for second place behind Shively at New Balance Nationals Indoor. 

Marcus Reilly of Northbridge MA, Joe Barrett and Jack Falkowski of Christian Brothers Academy NJ, Soheib Dissa of Newtown CT and Canadian Robin Lefebvre are among the notable in the field. 

The girls seeded mile features a compelling matchup between Rachel Forsyth of Ann Arbor Pioneer MI and Charlotte Bell of Cuthbertson NC. Katie Bohlke of Newington CT and Emily Bush of Saratoga Springs NY are two other big names in the lineup. 

Friday's racing schedule features a host of races from 800 meters to 5,000 meters. 

Olivia Cieslak of Haverford Township PA, who ran 2:04.77 at the Fords Track Classic on April 12 leads the girls 800 meters field along with Ella Woehlcke of Mt Saint Joseph Academy, who ran a best of 2:06.65 indoors. 

Three high school boys eager to break 1:50 in the 800 meters are entered in that event. Cole Boone of Pulaski County VA, Brendan Herger of Northville Central MI, Luke Schagelin from Morris Knolls NJ have all run under 1:51.

U.S. paralympian Michael Brannigan of the New York Athletic Club is entered in a competitive men's 1,500 meters field. Nick Dahl from Empire Elite TC brings the fastest credentials with a 3:37 personal best. 

Erin Jaskot of the Manhattan/Bandit Track Club is one of the top entries in the women's steeplechase. 

Former Oklahoma and Wichita State runner Yazmine Wright is among the top athletes in the women's 1,500.