Trainor edges Bednar to earn automatic berth for NYRR Millrose Games girls high school mile Feb. 8; Figueroa finishes strong in weight throw, with three relays producing early national leaders at The Armory

By Brian Towey for DyeStat

NEW YORK – One of the NYRR Millrose Games Trials most heart-warming moments Wednesday came in the girls invitational mile.

Franklin D. Roosevelt NY senior Sarah Trainor, who had labored for months to recover from a stress fracture and get back into shape, had yet to show her fitness this winter.

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Surging in the final 600 meters, Trainor prevailed in 4 minutes, 58.17 seconds at The Armory to not only secure a berth in the high school mile Feb. 8 at the 113th NYRR Millrose Games, but also give her a significant confidence boost by holding off Lawrenceville School NJ sophomore Charlotte Bednar (4:58.91).

“It took me half of cross-country season to get back,” said Trainor, a North Carolina signee who set the 2,000-meter steeplechase national high school record May 4 by clocking 6:29.08.

“Then indoor hit and I said ‘OK, I’ve got to take care of business.’ I ran a 3,000 and I was not happy. Last week I ran a 1,000 in three minutes and I was so angry. I was like, ‘When am I going to get back to where I was?’ ... Tonight, I just went for it. It was a risk to go with three laps left but I had to go. I felt so strong. It made me feel like I’m back and I’m excited for the rest of the season for the first time.”

Wednesday was a watershed day for Classical RI senior Cheyenne Figueroa in the weight throw.

Figueroa, who had gone back to wearing a waist belt for the first time since her sophomore year to help acclimate to three turns from two, was laboring in the preliminaries with throws of 55-2.25 (16.82m) and 56-0 (17.06m) before getting things just right: her 58-4.25 (17.78m) in the sixth round broke the meet record.

“Today was a good day because it taught you push through even though you’re making the same mistakes,” Figuoroa said. “I wanted to hit 60 feet, but I’m perfectly happy with this.”

For the first time this season, Paul Robeson NY stacked its girls 4x400-meter relay. The results were sparkling.

Robeson ran U.S. No. 1 3:52.85 behind the quartet of Lailah White, Leanne McDonald, Rehana Collins and Quinzel Bazilia.

“We love Millrose. It’s a big energy,” White said. “We love to show our support and represent New York City.”

Kingsway Regional NJ posted a U.S. No. 1 7:55.30 in the boys 4x800 relay backed by Ethan Bentley, Jeff Heineman, Kyle Rakitis and Stone Caraccio.

“I’m excited to see what else we can do this year,” Rakitis said. “Especially since we have two national number ones (including a 10:28.3 distance medley Dec. 28 at the Marine Corps Classic).”

Union Catholic Regional NJ won the girls private school 4x800 in U S. No. 1 9:21.86 (Morgan Williams, Zamira Ysaac, Morgan Jackson and Ashleigh Patterson), then came back for a 3:56.34 4x400.

“This has been the kind of season where every (4x800) race we win, we gain more confidence,” Ysaac said. “This is another (confidence-booster).”

Christian Brothers Academy NJ senior Shaw Powell qualified in the high school boys mile by prevailing in 4:23.27.