#34 - Nesbitt Wins First National Title

Author

Jeff Hollobaugh
January 31, 2024

In This Issue

  • The Latest News

  • Our Trials Marathoners

  • College Signings

  • Little Things

The Latest Track News

Cheyenne Nesbitt Wins USATF Pentathlon!

Nesbitt celebrating her victory. (Mike Nesbitt photo)

Indianapolis, January 28: In a stunning performance, Saginaw Valley’s Cheyenne Nesbitt (formerly Williamson) won her first USATF title in the pentathlon with a record-breaking performance at the new facility at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The indoor counterpart of the outdoor heptathlon consists of 5 events in one day. Nesbitt tallied an overall 4475, the best total ever by a woman from the state of Michigan. She hurdled 8.43, high jumped a PR 6-0 (183), threw the shot a PR 42-9.75 (13.05), long jumped 19-6.75 (5.96) and ran an indoor PR in the 800 (2:17.41). Her 4475 is an NCAA D2 record as well, in addition to being a state alumni best. The old alumni best is the 4469 that Michigan’s Bettie Wade scored in placing 2nd at the same meet in 2010.

Nesbitt wasn’t the only Michigan winner in Indy. Saline/UM alum Steven Bastien defended his title in the heptathlon with a score of 5886. The state alumni record is one he already owns, the 6074 he scored at the World Indoor in Serbia in 2022. Bastien’s breakdown in Indy: 60 7.04, LJ 24-1 (7.34), SP 45-9.25 (13.95), HJ 6-4.75 (1.95), 60H 8.19, PV 15-9 (4.80), 1000-2:41.67.

Beadlescomb Burns One In Boston

Beadlescomb (left) with Very Nice teammate Ben Flanagan. (Mike Kessler pic)

Boston, January 26: Morgan Beadlescomb became the No. 9 indoor 5000 runner in U.S. history with his 13:03.57 for 6th place at the John Thomas/Terrier Classic on the ultra-fast BU track. The Algonac/MSU alum sliced more than 12 seconds from his PR there last year, an excellent sign for the Olympic year. He also went faster than his outdoor best, the 13:08.82 he ran last May. In Michigan history, only Grant Fisher’s 12:53.73 from 2022 is faster. His 1600m splits, for the benefit of the high school crowd: 4:13.56, 4:09.48 (8:23.04), 4:10.48 (12:33.52). The calculator says that he would have passed through 2M in 8:25.96 and 3M in 12:37.90, both faster than the top Michigan times ever back when we maintained lists at those distances (the records were Adrian/UM alum Dan Heikkinen’s 8:29.2 & 13:10.48).

Two Sub-4:00 Races!

Ann Arbor, January 26-27: University of Michigan hosted its annual Michigan Invitational, and one of the big highlights came in the mile, where three men broke the 4:00 barrier. What was unprecedented was the second (slower) section also yielding a sub-4:00 performance! In the first race, frosh Trent McFarland (Utica alum) did the rabbiting and then Nick Foster (Pioneer alum) took over, making a fast time possible with some brave frontrunning. He got outkicked by Butler’s Jesse Hamlin, 3:57.99-3:58.27, with Notre Dame teenager Daelen Ackley running 3:58.81. Then in race 2, it was Wisconsin’s world class Adam Spencer (3:31.81 PR at 1500) who did the pacesetting for teammate Bob Liking, the Big 10 cross country champ. Spencer stayed in till 1200 and Liking finished it off in 3:58.48. So, to update last week’s list, we have now had 46 sub-4:00 miles on Michigan soil, in 24 different races.

High Schoolers

2024 Michigan HS Elite Lists - Boys - Girls

GVSU MITS, January 27: The highlight of this meet is the annual Gazelle Elite Mile. The girls race featured a great matchup, with Jessie Jazwinski clocking 4:48.47 to make herself the No. 7 miler in indoor history (all size tracks). She beat Rachel Forsyth (4:54.78) and Kaylie Livingston (4:58.53). Drew Muller ran 4th in 4:59.01, with Elena Figueroa 5th in 5:01.34.

The guys mile couldn’t have been closer. TJ Hansen barely edged Brendan Herger as both clocked 4:08.06. Seth Norder placed 4th in 4:15.04. In other events, Logan Mullan ran a state-leading 1:55.48 to dominate the 800. Liam Takace took over the list lead in the weight at 63-5, moving to No. 13 in state history.

On the girls side, the biggest mark was the 56-4 that Abigail Russell threw on her opening throw in the weight. That’s the No. 2 mark in state history and only 6 inches from the state record (Brittany Mann, 2012). She hit 55-7 in the second round, the No. 4 throw ever. She also won the shot at 43-3. Maya Rollins won another sprint/hurdle double (7.82/8.75). Jessie Jazwinski came back from the mile to win the 800 in 2:13.67, ahead of Valerie Beeck (2:15.22) and Morgan Brown (2:16.73). Brooke Bowers took the vault at 12-8.

LAB MITS, January 27: The 400 was the star of the show. On the boys side, Shamar Heard blasted 47.86 ahead of Evan Watson (48.49). That’s the No. 7 performance ever (all track sizes). Eighth-grader Janae Coleman took a blistering girls matchup against Kamryn Tatum, the outdoor D1 champion, 56.01-56.26, with Nevaeh Burns 3rd in 56.78.

Jayla Dace took the 60 in 7.72 over Taryn Henderson (7.75). In the 200, 7th-grader Cayla Hawkins ran 25.00 to top Lindsay Johnson’s 25.05. Jayden Harberts won the 1600 in 5:06.71 over Annie Hrabovsky (5:07.75) and Emmry Ross (5:08.94). A close hurdle race saw Carrie VanNoy (8.86) top Johnson (8.90) and Jayda Watson (8.92). Milena Chevallier high jumped 5-4.

Heard returned from his fast 400 to win the 200 in 21.42, with teammate Noah Morris at 21.90. In the hurdles, Zaccheaus Brocks topped Schmar Gamble, 8.15-8.17. The Mustangs (1:29.85) and Ann Arbor Youth (1:30.29) burned up the 4×2. The A2 TC rolled up the long relays, beating Runners High in the 4×8, 8:06.83-8:06.97, then winning the DMR in 10:40.99. Charlie Garner scored a big PR in the high jump at 6-6, and also won the long jump at 21-10.

Our Trials Marathoners

Saturday is the big day for some of our most accomplished long distance runners. No doubt, many of you will be tuned into the Olympic Marathon Trials. Lots of Michigan representation there. Below are the ones who attended Michigan high schools. This doesn’t, of course, include various Michigan residents who went to high school elsewhere, such as Saline teacher/coach Zachary Ornelas, GVSU alum Zach Panning or Desiree Linden, among others. Good luck to all! (Links are to their bios.)

Also, good chance I’m missing a few, as a lot of runners did not submit bios. Let me know, and I’ll be glad to correct this list in the online version of this newsletter. [email protected]

Jennifer Pope (I coached her in HS XC!)

MEN

WOMEN

College Signings

If you know of one that wasn’t previously reported here, please let us know! [email protected]. This has been a feature since issue #28. To check back issues, go here.

  • Jasper Cane (Kalamazoo Central) - Michigan State

  • Noah Lewandowski (GRTC Peregrines) - Spring Arbor

  • Gloria Gaston (GRTC Peregrines) - Grand Rapids Community College

Little Things

RIP Scott Earl: The beloved teacher and coach at Temperance Bedford died suddenly on January 30. The outpouring of affection for him is truly a tribute to a man who had a monumental impact in the classroom and at the track. Visitation details.

Regional Assignments:
Boys - Girls

Metric Field Events: Lots of high school results on athletic-net showing up in metric form, possibly a side-effect to the business gearing up to start absorbing the collegiate results business (a done deal). I wrote their tech support people to see if there is a way to toggle back and forth between metric and English. Their response: “Unfortunately, we do not have a toggle button to switch between viewing metric and English marks. We are working on adding a toggle feature, but we do not have a date when it will be announced yet. The results show in whatever format the meet host uploads them in. So some marks will be in English and others in metric.”

Michtrack Results Archive: Your source for the old results that you can’t find anywhere else. Soon to go over the 10,000 mark, thanks to the many people who have scanned old results and sent them. Big thanks to Sturgis HS and JB Starkey—those will be uploaded soon. Check out the Archive!

Past Issues of the Michtrack Newsletter: Can be found here.

The Michigan Track & Field Hall of Fame: A work in progress. See where we are.

Your Contributions Keep Michtrack Going! We have a lot of projects that we’re trying to get to to further preserve the history of TF/XC in our state. Your donations are tax-deductible and greatly appreciated! Please, join our regular monthly supporters.

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