Indiana champ Addy Wiley wins 1,500 and heads for junior worlds
We have seen what Addy Wiley can do in Huntington. Or elsewhere in Indiana. Or in Oregon. Or elsewhere in the United States.
Next logical question: What can she do against the world?
“Representing USA is all I’ve wanted since I was young,” she said. “And this year it became my reality.”
Wiley, a five-time state champion for Huntington North, scored a runaway victory in the 1,500 meters in the USA Junior Championships on Saturday night at Eugene, Ore.
The victory qualified Wiley, a Colorado signee, for August’s under-20 World Championships at Cali, Colombia.
Wiley led from the start and finished in 4:15.53, just off the meet record of 4:14.75 set by Mary Cain in 2012. Wiley did set an eighth Indiana record since February 2021.
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Virginia freshman Maria Barnett, who has a best of 4:11.32, finished second in 4:20.86.
At Allendale, Mich., on June 11, Wiley effectively ran faster than Cain’s high school mile record of 4:28.35. Wiley set a national prep record of 4:26.16 for 1,600 meters, breaking the previous record by seven seconds. The time is equivalent to 4:27.71 for a mile and 4:07.90 for a 1,500.
Wiley is the only Indiana girl to win an 800/1,600 double at the state meet, and has done so twice. This was her third national title, all run at Eugene.
She has long targeted junior worlds and said she has not peaked yet. Her 1,500 equivalent would rank sixth worldwide among U20s, behind four Ethiopian runners and one Kenyan.
“I would love to medal in Cali," she said. "I think the experience itself is going to be huge. But I don’t go just to race. I go to win.”
Elsewhere, Juliette Whitakker of Catonsville, Md., broke the national high school record for 800 meters, clocking 1:59.04. She bettered another record by Cain, who clocked 1:59.51 at the 2013 Prefontaine Classic.
Another Hoosier distance champion was Lucas Guerra of Highland in the men’s 3,000 meters. The Georgetown freshman ran the closing 400 in 58.64 for a time of 8:19.36.
Tacoria Humphrey, an Illinois freshman from Warren Central, was fourth in the women’s high jump at 5 feet, 11 ¼ inches. Top four all cleared the same height, with places determined on misses.
In the boys pole vault, Hobart junior Cody Johnston finished fifth at 16-0 ¾. He vaulted 17 feet in April and won the state title.
Elsewhere in junior track, Butler recruit David Slapak finished sixth in the Czech senior championships 1,500 in 3:43.15. The time, equivalent to a 4:01.01 mile, has been bettered by just three U.S. high school runners this year. Slapak qualified for the U20 worlds.
Contact IndyStar reporter David Woods at david.woods@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Wiley won the 1,500 meters in the USA Junior Championships on Saturday
