National Scholastic Athletics Foundation

NBNI Previews, Part 1 of 11

This is the first in a series of previews for the championship events at the 2015 New Balance Nationals Indoor and will be followed by Girls Sprints, B/G Hurdles, B/G Throws, B/G Multis, Boys Jumps, Girls Jumps, Boys Distances, Girls Distances, Boys Relays and Girls Relays.

BOYS SPRINTS

Overview

The level of depth and competition in the three boys’ sprints is beyond great in 2015.  But perhaps the most intriguing thing about these events, collectively, is that there are at least three (but as many as 6-8) athletes capable of pulling off a sprint double – yet the fields are so good that any or all of them could go home empty-handed, as well.  The trio to watch most closely is Ryan Clark (60 and 200), Rai Benjamin (200 and 400) and Noah Lyles (60 and 200) – but Darryl Haraway, Jaron Flournoy, Josephus Lyles, Andrew Hudson, William Allen and others are all capable of winning one or more titles here, as well.  Rather than an event-by-event breakdown in this preview, let’s look at the major players in what will be a sprint trilogy this weekend (with all finals Sunday afternoon):

The Big Three

• Ryan Clark (Banneker, GA senior) – The 2013 World Youth silver medalist at 400m – running 46.33 as a soph – Clark was primary known as a long sprinter before this winter.  Now he has surprised even himself with his US#1 6.25 55m and #1 6.68 60m during an unbeaten winter.  He’s also U.S. #1 at 200 with his 21.22 and arguably the 60/200 double favorite.
• Noah Lyles (T.C. Williams, VA junior) – Lyles ran 6.40 last year at 55m, but the 200 was where he won NBNI bronze, NBNO silver and became the Youth Olympic champ with his PR 20.71.  His improved short dash chops became apparent when he beat Haraway at the Hispanic Games, and now he’s down to US#2 6.27.  In the 200 now, he’s only US#7 with limited opportunities, but is US#2 in the 300 at 33.32.  He wants the 60/200 double, too.
• Rai Benjamin (Mt. Vernon, NY senior) – The talented Benjamin the ’14 NBNI 400 runner-up – has hit new levels of consistency this winter, unbeaten at 200/300/400.  He’s run a US#3 21.37 200 and a #1 47.46 400 (#4 in each including oversize tracks).  But his sweet spot has been the 300, with several sub-34s, including a US#1 33.17 – #2 all-time.  He’s the best candidate for a 200/400 double.

More serious contenders

• Darryl Haraway (DeMatha, MD senior) - As the ’14 NBNO 100m champ and the top returnee here in the 60 (3rd last year), Haraway entered 2015 as the short-dash guy to beat.  But he has two losses, sits at US#2 at 55m and 60m, and has watched others rise to his level.  Still, he may still be the one to beat, being more battle-tested than any other elite at this distance and knowing what it’s like to go through three rounds.
• Josephus Lyles (T.C. Williams, VA junior) – Noah’s brother is entered in both the 60 and 400, though with the events being back-to-back, it’s an unlikely double.  But Lyles – the ’14 NBNO 400 champ (46.23) and World Jr 4x400m gold medalist – has the range and could win either.  Until this winter, he’d never even raced below 100, but now he’s at 6.28 for 55 – yet he’s also US#1 at 500m with his fresh 1:03.57 at state.
• Jaron Flournoy (Westland John Glenn, MI senior) – Flournoy also has range, hitting an early U.S. leader at 60 (6.78), then 47.35 for 400 and 21.16 for 200 – both on oversized tracks for US#2 and #1 overall.  Flournoy’s sole banked track race was a 3rd in the Armory Invite 300 (won by Benjamin).  It’s very likely he’ll fare better on the curves the 2nd time around as he goes for a 60/200 double.
• Taylor McLaughlin (Union Catholic, NJ senior) – Another 200/400 candidate, McLaughlin may not be as highly regarded individually as some of the others, but his 200/300/400 PRs are very close to Benjamin’s – including his 48.33 seasonal PR on a slow, flat track.  He was under 47 twice outdoors in ’14 and, of course, he was on several NBN relay champs the past few years.
• Andrew Hudson (Steele, TX senior) – Yet another 60/200 aspirant, he had fast 6.83 and 21.36 marks in early January at Texas A&M and has barely raced since.  But he racked up very impressive times last summer of 20.64 (wind-legal) and 10.28w, and was an AAU JO double champ.  No question the talent is there.
• Will Allen (Dunbar, KY junior) – Allen has risen into the spotlight recently, thanks to an all-tracks US#1 47.16 400 to win the Kentucky Invite, plus a 3rd-place finish in the 200 at 21.53.  Both are faster than his 2014 outdoor bests and he clearly is a top contender, at least in the 400.
• Richard Rose (Boys & Girls, NY senior) – Rose started the season afire in late November and December, including a #4 all-time 1:18.40 at 600.  He’s since been on a bit of a plateau and, with “only” a 48.66 best over 400 (a loss to Benjamin), he’s not ranked in the top 10 in an event where he just happens to be defending NBNI champion.  That kind of puts him in the same category in the 2-lap event as Josephus Lyles, the ’14 NBNO champ – but neither should be disregarded given their achievements at other distances.

The facts and stats:

60m dash

HSR: 6.57, Casey Combest KY, 1999
MR: 6.57, Casey Combest KY, 1999

60m dash recent champs
2014: Trentavis Friday, NC, 6.64
2013: Jeryl Brazil, LA, 6.70
2012: Tevin Hester, NC, 6.72

60m dash 2014 top 3-plus (non-returnees in italics)
1. Trentavis Friday, NC, 6.64
2. Andre Ford-Azonwanna, ONT/CAN, 6.70
3. Darryl Haraway, MD, 6.76
8. Marcus Taylor, VA, 6.87
11(sf). Christian Brissett, PA, 6.95

Top entries by current U.S. 60m rank
1. Ryan Clark, GA, 6.68
2. Darryl Haraway, MD, 6.76
3. Jaron Flournoy, MI, 6.78
…
6. Christian Brissett, PA, 6.82
T7. Khari Saunders, KY, 6.83
T7. Andrew Hudson, TX, 6.83

Top U.S. 55m performers entered in 60 (by 55m rank)
1. Ryan Clark, GA, 6.25
2. Noah Lyles, VA, 6.27
T3. Darryl Haraway, MD, 6.28
T3. Josephus Lyles, VA, 6.28
5. Grant Holloway, VA, 6.30
…
9. Rodney Rowe, NC, 6.32

200m dash

HSR: 20.69, Xavier Carter, FL
MR: 20.97, Trentavis Friday, NC

200m dash recent champs
2014: Trentavis Friday, NC, 20.97
2013: Ceo Ways, FL, 21.37
2012: Aaron Brown, ONT/CAN, 21.54

200m dash 2014 top 3-plus (non-returnees in bold)
1. Trevtavis Friday, NC, 20.97
2. Darryl Haraway, MD, 21.15
3. Noah Lyles, VA, 21.50
…
5. Nicholas Gray, KY, 21.78
9(sf). Edward Davis, LA, 21.75
11(sf). Anton Porter, NY, 21.93
15(sf). Antonio Coleman, MD, 22.09

Top entries by current U.S. 200m rank
1. Ryan Clark, GA, 21.22
2. Andrew Hudson, TX, 21.36
T3. Rai Benjamin, NY, 21.37
T3. Taylor McLaughlin, NJ, 21.37
5. Norman Grimes, TX, 21.46
6. Noah Lyles, VA 21.47
Oversize
1. Jaron Flournoy, MI, 21.16
2. Nicholas Gray, OH, 21.43

Top U.S. 300m performers entered in 200m (by 300m rank)
1. Rai Benjamin, NY, 33.17
2. Noah Lyles, VA, 33.32
…
4. Taylor McLaughlin, NJ, 33.62
5. Ryan Clark, GA, 33.85
6. Jaron Flournoy, MI, 33.93
 

400m dash

HSR: 45.92, Elzie Coleman, NY, 2004
MR: 46.57, Najee Glass, NJ, 2012

400m dash recent champs
2014: Richard Rose, NY, 47.34
2013: Michael Cherry, VA, 46.87
2012: Najee Glass, NJ 46.57

400m dash 2014 top 3-plus (non-returnees in bold)
1. Richard Rose, NY, 47.34
2. Rai Benjamin, NY, 47.56
3. Ricky Morgan, VA, 47.93
…
11(sf). Christian Kildal-Brandt, NJ, 48.89
12(sf). Nicholas Gray, OH, 48.90
13(sf). Antonio Coleman, MD 48.93

Top entries by current U.S. 400m rank
1. Rai Benjamin, NY, 47.76
4. Taylor McLaughlin, NJ, 48.33
6. Skyler Bowden, MI, 48.42
10. Deshawne Bunion, NJ, 48.62
11. Richard Rose, NY, 48.66
Oversize
1. William Allen, KY, 47.16
3. Skyler Bowden, MI, 47.66
5. Justin Hamilton, MD, 48.07
6. Rico Gomez, 48.18

Top U.S. 300m performers entered in 400m (by 300m rank)
1. Rai Benjamin, NY, 33.17
4. Taylor McLaughlin, NJ, 33.62

Top U.S. 500m performers entered in 400m (by 500m rank)
1. Josephus Lyles, VA, 1:03.57
2. Antonio Coleman, MD, 1:04.13
3. Rico Gomez, MD, 1:04.45

Top U.S. 600m performers entered in 400m (by 600m rank)
1. Richard Rose, NY, 1:18.40
2. Joe Luongo, MA, 1:18.84
3. Luke Germanakos, NY, 1:19.92