adidas Outdoor Nationals
Distance runners from Tennessee have been making a splash for many years in succession on the national stage and with freshman like Claire Stegall and Keegan Smith on the course for the next three seasons there's really no end in sight. A sprinter setting all time marks and making similar waves is more sporadic but if, as a state, we're going to produce the year over year talent that can compete with the nation's best I feel we're in a good spot.
Danielle Dunning won the Freshman 200m Dash on Saturday with a wind-legal 24.39. It was the second fastest 200m time across all divisions at adidas Outdoor Nationals. On Friday, she won the 100m Dash in the freshman division as well. She currently ranks Top 10 nationally for the Class of 2025 in both open sprints and I suspect she'll have more opportunities to lower these times with a robust club schedule with D-Elite throughout the remainder of the summer.
On Sunday, after placing 3rd in the 100m Dash running a TN #2 All-Time FAT All Conditions 10.34, Memphis Central's Jordan Ware won the 200m Championship division with a Wind-Legal 21.10.
Obviously Ware and Dunning will be the sprinters to watch heading into 2023 but a slew of national caliber athletes will join them. Just this weekend at another club meet, Ensworth's Erica Douglas became the 3rd girl this season to dip under the 12 second mark in the 100m dash.
Throw in other returners like Jakobe Tharp, Mariah Ivery, Evie Culbreath, Courtland Noble... is there any distance 400 meters and under, hurdles included, Tennessee will not be able to compete in nationally next season?
Doesn't look like it.