Verzbicas runs 2-mile in 8:29.46 against pros; Irwin pole vaults 17-7 for indoor record.
Sandburg (Orland Park, Ill.) senior Lukas Verzbicas took on the pros during Saturday's Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore., and was rewarded with a new national high school record for two miles.
Lukas Verzbicas was pulled along by
some pros on Saturday.
File photo by Kirby Lee
Although finishing last in an 11-man field, the University of Oregon recruit was clocked in a record 8:29.46, much to the delight of a capacity crowd over 12,000. Ten pros finished ahead of him, with first place going to Olympian Bernard Lagat in 8:13.62.
According to
dyestat.com, Verzbicas' unofficial splits were 62.3, 62.9, 63.1, 63.9, 63.6, 65.1, 65.7 and 60.7.
The previous record, which had stood since 2008, was 8:34.40 by German Fernandez from Riverbank, Calif. The mark isn't a national federated record because it was in a race against non-high school competition.
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Mount Ida (Ark.) senior Andrew Irwin set a national indoor pole vault record when he cleared 17-7 during the Arkansas Vault Club Summer Kick-Off meet in Black Springs, Ark. The previous record was 17-6½ by Pat Manson of Aurora Central (Aurora, Colo.) in 1986.
Irwin, who cleared 17-7 on his first attempt, went out at 17-9¼.
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Culver Academies (Culver, Ind.) senior Waverly Neer smashed two records during the Indiana state track meet in Bloomington, Ind. She won the 1600-meter run in a record 4:43.46. Ninety minutes later, she wiped out the 3200-meter record with a 10:20.66 clocking.
