Cade Flatt walked into the Marshall County High School gymnasium Tuesday morning to a surprise he won’t soon forget. He was presented with the Gatorade National Boys Track & Field Player of the Year award. Cade received the Gatorade Kentucky Boys Track & Field Player of the Year honor on June 29 which made him a finalist for the prestigious national award.
In its 37th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, along with athletic excellence, the award recognizes high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character on and off the field.
From playeroftheyear.gatorade.com, “We expect more from our athletes, that’s why the Gatorade Player of the Year program recognizes the nation’s most outstanding high school student-athletes for their athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character. That’s what makes this award the most prestigious honor in High School sports.”
The recent Marshall County graduate who is headed to the University of Mississippi, set a state record when he won the national championship in the 800-meters at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor in June. Cade’s time of 1:46.48 was 0.03 seconds shy of the national high-school record that has stood since 1996.
Cade put his talents to the test against the fastest 800 meter runners in the nation, competing in the US Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon later in June, competing for a spot on the USA World Championships team. He ran a 1:46.53 in a qualifying round for the 800, advanced to the second round and finished just out of the top eight in ninth place and .07 from making the finals.
Cade won the 400 and 800 meters at the Class 3A state meet and helped lead the 4×400 and 4×800 relays to a state title. His best 400 time of 46.89 ranked No. 25 nationally among prep competitors in 2022 at the time of his selection. Cade currently holds the fastest times in the state in the 400, 800 and 1600 meters.
Cade and his parents, Stephen and Leslie, will be flown to Los Angeles along with 11 other National Athlete of the Year award winners across 12 sports for the Gatorade Athlete of the Year dinner. One male and one female will be chosen from the 12 and named Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year. They will also attend the ESPN ESPY awards on Wednesday, July 20.
Cade Flatt, Gatorade National Boys Track Player of the Year
