Races to Watch Featuring Tennessee Athletes at UK Invite


The UK High School Invitational is consistently one of the top indoor meets in the Southeast. This year is no exception.

Many of the state's best athletes are heading north this weekend to compete with the region's best. Many of the fastest distance runners in Tennessee will square off with some of the best athletes in America.

Here are a few of the top races to watch tomorrow afternoon.

Colin Jones & Keaton Jones vs. Brodey Hasty -- Boys 800 Meters (3:45 PM ET)

Five of the top ten 800 meter runners in the country are from Tennessee. Four of them will compete in the 800 in Lexington this weekend.

Colin and Keaton Jones are coming off another 1-2 finish at Vanderbilt a few weeks ago. When they were in Nashville, Brodey Hasty was competing against professionals at the Millrose Games, running 4:00.05 for a mile.

On Saturday, they'll square off in the same heat of the 800. Colin is currently the US No. 4. Keaton is US No. 7. Brodey is US No. 1 in the mile and No. 5 in the 800.

The Jones brothers like to take control of races early. But will they use the same strategy against Hasty, who finishes very well?

This race ought to be interesting. Expect Colin and Keaton to go out aggressively like they always do. We'll see if Brodey has the speed late to answer when they take off.

Hardin Valley Academy's Kenton Bachmann is also competing in this loaded heat. He's run 1:54 this season as well. The Wake Forest signee is certainly a dark-horse here. Like the other three, he's got a great kick in the final 200.

Beth Donnelly -- Girls Mile (1:52 PM ET)

Donnelly is one of the best milers in the country so far this season. And she's the only girl to break five minutes in the state of Tennessee in 2018.

The Brentwood sophomore is currently ranked No. 23 in the country with her 4:59 at the Vanderbilt Commodore Invitational. She's the sixth-fastest sophomore in the country so far.

She's also the only Tennessean in the fast heat of the girls mile this weekend. 

Donnelly's top competition includes one of the fastest runners in the country. Katelynne Hart, who set the freshman 2-Mile national record at this meet last year, is the top seed coming into the competition. She was a Foot Locker and NXN All-American this past year. And get this, she's never lost a 1600 before.

In her career, Hart has raced the 1600/Mile 14 times. She's finished first 14 times. 

This is a good test for Donnelly against some of the nation's best runners. Her experience at the Millrose Games should be a big asset on Saturday.

Scott Thompson vs. Titus Winders -- Boys Mile (2:12 PM ET)

Another top Brentwood runner, Scott Thompson, is coming off a huge performance last weekend.

Against collegiate talent last weekend, Thompson ran the fastest 800 in the country so far this season. He's also got the fourth-fastest mile time in America too.

So he should be a favorite to win a loaded boys mile on Saturday afternoon. 

However, he's got a lot of competition.

Cross Country State Champion Titus Winders is in this field as well. He's looking for a big personal best in the mile. Last year at the Jackson Invitational, Winders ran 4:28. In November, he ran 15:06 at Foot Locker South.

So we think he's ready to a big improvement. Winders has very strong endurance over longer distances, but he also has a superb kick. After what he ran in cross country, he is capable of demolishing his personal best this weekend.

Willington Wright -- Boys 400 Meter Dash (3:10 PM ET)

Hardin Valley's Willington Wright is the fastest 400 meter runner in the state so far this season.

Saturday will be a major test for the HVA senior against some of the nation's fastest long sprinters.

Wright is the only runner to break 49 seconds in Tennessee so far this season. A few weeks ago in Nashville, Brockwood (GA) senior Nick Ramey ran 47.19 at the Vanderbilt HS Invite. Ramey is the top seed coming into Saturday's race. US No. 9 Donnie James (48.20) will also be in attendance. He's running out of lane four.

This is a fantastic opportunity for Wright, who comes in at No. 22 in the nation based off his personal best at the KYA Classic. Wright just ran a personal best in the 200 (22.27) two weeks ago at Vandy. Now, he's ready for another breakthrough in the 400.

Wright's career best of 48.58 came at the beginning of last season. With some of the best runners in the country around him on Saturday, he may be ready to run under 45.5.

You can watch the 2018 Kentucky High School Invitational LIVE on Milesplit all day tomorrow!