The MileSplit West region is headed EAST!!
Every year, the Millrose Games brings together the best athletes from around the globe at the Armory Indoor Track and Field Center. In its 117th edition, the event will showcase Olympic champions, world champions, and world record holders. One of the most thrilling aspects of the meet is the opportunity for high school athletes to compete alongside the professionals.
This year, twelve athletes from the West region will travel to the East Coast to compete in the 117th Millrose Games, which will be aired on NBC and available for streaming on Peacock on Saturday, February 8th.
Four of these athletes compete at Niwot High School in Niwot, Colorado. Reese Kasper, Kate Schmidthuber, Eliana Henriques, and Sammie Holliday will represent REAL Training Colorado in the Girls' 4x200m Invitational. Three of these young women were part of Niwot's 4A Colorado State Championship team in the girls' 4x200m relay last season when they clocked a time of 1:40.67.
They will compete against historic sprint schools in the Northeast, such as Bullis School, Union Catholic, and Archbishop Carroll.
Niwot winning the 2024 Colorado State 4A Championship in the 4x200m in a time of 1:40.67 || Photo by Tim McDonald
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Makenna Herbst, from Carlsbad, SD, in California, will also be the sole representative from the West region in her event. In the Joan & Don Young Girls' 600m, Herbst holds the top U.S. mark of 1:29.78, achieved at the Beantown Winter Classic. This University of Arkansas commit clocked a time of 2:06.45 last summer at the USATF U20 Championships.
Everyone's favorite New Mexico duo will be in the Nike Boys' Mile alongside the top boys in the nation. Corbin Coombs from Organ Mountain High School and Charlie Vause from Rio Rancho High School will meet for the first time since racing at New Mexico's Cross Country State Championship in November 2024.
Coombs has been booked and busy this indoor season, competing at prominent meets such as the VA Showcase and the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix. Last week at NBIGP, he ran U.S. No. 6 in the mile at 4:06.81.
On the other hand, Charlie Vause hasn't competed in an individual race since his Nike Cross Nationals victory on December 7th, 2024. Vause has only competed in two indoor 4x400m races with his team. Vause will also be head-to-head with Foot Locker Cross Country National Champion Tamrat Gavenas.
Charlie Vause and Corbin Combs after finishing 1st (Coombs) and 2nd (Vause) at the 5A New Mexico XC Championships || Photo by Joe Grimando
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The Nike Girls' field is loaded with West talent led by Lily Alder out of Timpview in Utah. The last time Alder raced at The Armory, she ran 4:45.69 at Nike Indoor Nationals in 2024. She also holds a 4:40.82 outdoor mile personal record from the Arcadia Invitational last season.
The Rodriguez Sisters from Mercer Island High School in Washington will also line up in the Nike Girls' Mile. Victoria Rodriguez, the Wake Forest University commit, is currently U.S. No.8 in the Mile, while Sophia Rodriguez holds the top U.S. mark in the 3000m at a time of 9:22.11.
Ellery Lincoln from Lincoln HS in Oregon will inject speed into the Nike Girls' Mile. This sophomore ran 2:09.85 in the 800m last season and posted a 4:51.69 at Nike Indoor Nationals during the indoor season.
The last West Region athlete to represent at the Millrose Games will surely have all eyes on her. Sadie Engelhardt will race in the Women's Wanamaker Mile alongside professional athletes. Last week, Engelhardt competed against pros at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix and achieved a personal record of 4:29.34, the second fastest in U.S. girls' indoor mile history.
After her historic race at NBIGP, Engelhardt discussed her upcoming race at the Millrose Games, emphasizing that she has "no expectations' and wants to enjoy the experience.
"No huge expectations. I feel like that's what's cool about this time period. Obviously, I'm still in high school so like, this is the final part before it gets really serious in college and the professional level, so just doing my best." - Sadie Engelhardt.
The full 117th Millrose Games entries are now available. Watch on NBC or Peacock starting at 4 pm EST this Saturday, February 8th.
Sadie Engelhardt after running a U.S. No. 2 all-time 4:29.34 indoor mile at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.