Cade Flatt Wins NBNO 800 Meters, But Elusive Record Survives Another Day

Cade Flatt approaches the finish line at Friday’s New Balance Nationals on Friday at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, PA.  Photo: Armory Track/John Nepolitan

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Cade Flatt took another big swing at the national high school record in the 800 meters Friday and nearly made history at New Balance Nationals Outdoor.

Flatt, a senior from Marshall County on the far western side of Kentucky, finished .03 seconds shy of Michael Granville’s durable 1996 record of 1:46.45.

Flatt went out in 51.15 seconds and finished just a hair over the target in 1:46.48.

“I can say that I’m a Kentucky state champion and a Kentucky state record holder, and a national champion,” Flatt said. “But one thing I can’t say is that I’m the best ever, yet. I’m always chasing history.”

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Flatt’s shot at history came about an hour before another talented half-miler took the track across the country in Eugene.

Will Sumner took part in an exhibition race at Hayward Field and despite fans on the track and pacing lights, the big targets didn’t come. First-year pro Charlie Hunter of Australia was unable to secure a World Championships qualifying standard, and behind him, Sumner ran a fine time of 1:48.41 in cool, breezy conditions.

Flatt will come West next week and expects to line up in the men’s 800 meters at the USATF Outdoor Championships, where, in the right race, the record is still a possibility.

“I feel too good at the end of races,” Flatt said. “I have too much left. I have to put it together. I’ve got 1:46.45 in my legs, I know I do.”

In the New Balance Nationals gilrs 2-mile, Angelina Perez from Ringwood, N.J. won her first national title and ran 10:03.18.

She had previously placed second at the Eastbay Cross Country Championships and third in the 2-mile at New Balance Nationals Indoor.

Perez will make a quick turnaround and compete Saturday at the New Jersey Meet of Champions.

Rocky Hansen from North Carolina (Christ School) has emerged as a super-talented junior and won the boys 2-mile in 8:46.97. He beat Canadian Heath McAllister (8:50.88) for the title.

Purple Track Club of Michigan won its second relay championship of the weekend by running 11:42.78 in the distance medley relay and beating runner-up Charlotte Country Day NC by nine seconds.

Sarah Forsyth closed for her team in 4:48.30.

In the boys distance medley relay, Butler TC of Pennsylvania ran US#3 9:56.84 and broke a 40-year-old all-time state record.

CJ Singleton closed the deal for his team and ran a 4:05.48 split on the anchor leg.

Isabel Conde de Frankenberg from Cedar Park, Texas, who competed in Seattle two days earlier and ran a state-record 4:38.55 in the mile, won the girls 800 meters title with a personal-best 2:05.61.

The Bullis MD girls won the 4×200 relay in 1:34.68, Motor City TC of Michigan won the girls Sprint Medley Relay with 4:00.31, and South Dade FL took the girls Swedish Relay (1,000m) in 2:13.02.

In the sprint relays on the boys side, Calvert Hall Cardinals MD won the 4×200 in 1:26.29, Riverdale Baptist MD won the Swedish in 1:55.25, and West Springfield from Virginia won the Sprint Medley in 3:23.08.

Michael Pinckney from Brooklyn, N.Y. won the boys discus competition with a throw of 201-6 (61.41m), while freshman Benjamin Shue of New Jersey was second with 193-10 (59.08m).

Yougendy Mauricette from Delaware won the boys 400-meter hurdles in US#1 51.31 seconds.

Myla Greene from Bullis won the girls 400-meter hurdles in 58.27 seconds.