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This year's Hamline Elite Meet is anticipated to showcase an unprecedented level of competition, surpassing even its own prestigious standards. Minnesota's exceptional spring weather has laid the foundation for a gathering of athletes at the peak of their performance, promising a display of talent and skill that surpasses the benchmarks set in previous years. As the state's top track and field athletes prepare to converge at Hamline University, anticipation is high for a meet that is primed to be nothing short of extraordinary.
Here we look at the top events and the competition in those events for the 2024 Hamline Elite Meet.
Related: 3 Records Stand the Test of Time at the Hamline Elite Meet
Boys 100m
Always one of the premier events at the Hamline Elite Meet, the best sprinters in Minnesota will meet up at Klas Field to determine who the fastest high school boy in Minnesota is.
The title will be up for grabs this year with the reigning champion, Tobias Williams of Minnetonka, not in the field. Leading the way with the top seed time in Apple Valley standout Dwyne Smith Jr. who is seeded with a time of 10.60, with our records showing a PR of 10.98 in the event. Either way, Dwyne has some serious speed as someone who owns PRs of 21.76 in the 200m and 47.55 in the 400m (MN #8 All-Time). Just behind him is the current state 100m leader and reigning Class AA State Champion in Thomas Lamkin with a time on 10.67, just behind his PR of 10.65. He recently ran his time of 10.67 at the Red Wing Big 9 Tri, his first race of the season. He was the 4th place finisher last season as Hamline in the 100m.
The group just behind them has shown some serious speed and improvements this outdoor season. Luke Emmerich of Monticello is currently the #2 runner in Minnesota with a time of 10.69 which was a huge PR over his time of 12.17 from 2022 or even his time of 11.35 from earlier in the season. Juriad Hughes Jr. started off his season hot with a new PR of 10.71, a 0.10 second improvement from 2023. Evan Maurud of Winona came into the season with a 100m PR of 11.23 but has burst onto the scene with times of 10.88 and 10.75 so far. Finally, Carter Reckelberg has committed himself to the 100m and the results are showing with stellar times of 10.96 and 10.78 in his last two meets.
This race is there for the taking this year and with the competition highlighted above, boy are we excited for one of tracks premier events.
Girls 100m
With one of the deepest field in Hamline Elite Meet history, the girls 100m dash is sure to be an event to remember. The reigning champion, Jordyn Borsch, has graduated; so Ashley Fisher should come in as the favorite in this premier event. Fisher, finished 2nd last years behind Borsch with a stellar time of 12.37. Fisher had a hot start to her season this week at the Eric Jones Invitational where she took home the 100m and 200m titles with times of 12.31 and 25.45 (100 #3 in MN, 200m #4). She won't be without some hefty competition though.
State 100m leader Sasha Steinbach comes into the meet having made some history recently with her 100m time of 11.91, a time which ranks tied for 15th all-time in Minnesota and a 0.43 second PR. Just behind her is freshman standout Brynn Bakken, who has won four 100m races so far this season and set a new PR of 12.18 on April 4th. Her time of 12.18 is also the #8 freshmen time in Minnesota all-time.
There is much more quality sprinters behind them still, with last year's Class A state runner-up Taylor Kurtz (as a 8th-grader), last year's Class AA runner-up Emelia Skistad (a 12.18 runner), former Class AA runner-up Brooke Hohenecker (also a 12.09 runner), and star sophomores Elliana Magnus and Isabelle Reinders.
Boys 1600m
For the first time since the NXR Heartland Meet last cross country season, many of the states top boys distance runners will toe the line together in a meet the crosses the boundaries of the classes of Minnesota track and XC. It's a who's who of the top distance runners in Minnesota from all corners of the state.
Let's take a look at the field:
Nolan Sutter: 4:15.68 1600m runner, 1600m 5th place Hamline Elite Meet 2023
Cade Sanvik: 4:19.47 1600m runner, 3rd place 800m finish Class AAA Championships 2023
Sam Scott: 4:17.01 1600m runner, 8:54.16 3200m runner, 3x State Runner-Up
Bjorn Anderson: 4:19.35 1600m runner, 2023 Class A State 3200m Champion +1600m Runner-Up
Matthew Lindgren: 4:17.01 1600m runner, 1:55.75 800m runner, 4th place Class AA 1600m 2023
That's not even all! We have Heritage Christian Academy state champion Lev Dougherty, Minnetonka standout Tyler Vos, Prior Lake state qualifier Hootie Hage and many more spectacular distance runners.
Girls 3200m
Equally as stacked as the other distance events, the girls 3200m event will be slog in the rain, but expect it to come down to a thrilling conclusion with the talent that is in the field. Leading the way is 2x state champion Isabelle Schmitz. Schmitz was last year's runner-up at Hamline behind Jade Rypkema with a time of 10:43.79. This year she ranks as the #1 3200m runner in Minnesota with her time of 10:47.35. She also owns a lifetime best in the 3200m of 10:38. Not far behind her this year has been Bemidji standout Mia Hoffmann who owns a seasons best time of 10:47.41. She is the defending bronze medalist for the Class AAA state meet and owns a lifetime best 3200m time of 10:42.52.
Not fer behind Schmitz and Hoffmann is a plethora of girls that will look to also take the title. Class AAA (XC) state champion Norah Hushagen will look to continue her momentum from the XC season, she owns a a 3200m PR of 10:49.23. Marissa Long owns a PR of 10:48.64 in the 3200m and is also a sub 5-minute 1600m runner. Jazleen Malherek-Osorio is a rising star for Wayzata. Plus every other girls has a lengthy resume of accomplishments that could make them a candidate to take home the 3200m title.
Boys 3200m
Another thrilling 3200m race will be the boys 3200m, with elite talent from all over Minnesota coming together to race those eight fierce laps around the track. One of the front runners should be defending Class AAA (XC) state champion Robert Mechura. Mechura is coming off a XC season where he set a new state record for the 5K, at last years state track and field championshisp he finished 4th in both the 1600m and 3200m and he owns a 3200m PR of 8:56.70. Right next to him should be Minneapolis Southwest standout Sam Scott. Scott owns a 3200m personal best time of 8:54.16, which ranks #8 all-time in Minnesota. Scott finished just ahead of Mechura at last year's state track championships with a time of 8:57.10. The last two seasons, Scott has finished 3rd (2022) and 2nd (2023) in the 3200m at Hamline, might this be the year he finishes 1st?
Joining Mechura and Scott in the race will be sophomore standout Sean Fries who just set a new 3200m PR of 9:14.86, Nolan Sutter who owns a PR of 9:07.49, last years top ranked Class AA 3200m runner in Sully Anez, Wayzata standout and the current MN #3 3200m runner in Tyler Kissell, and the current Minnesota #2 runner in Will Weber with a time of 9:14.81.