2022 Moments of the Year
To finish off 2022, we're going to countdown the MileSplit TN Top 10 Moments of the Year. As you'll see throughout the countdown, last year was filled with incredible drama, can't miss racing, and record breaking performances. Enjoy. Check back in between now and January 1st, 2023 for all the moments that made the year unforgettable.
In April?!
At the time, I don't know that this race was put in it's proper perspective. I think I posted a screenshot of the live results when I saw them but there was not much beyond that. No headline article, no post on Instagram. It just kind of got buried in the expansive coverage from what was likely a busy weekend across the state. Now that there is a little more time to reflect on the year that was, this race between Whitehaven's Terrick Johnson and White Station's Courtland Noble was special. On April 14th at the Panther Relays held at Bartlett High School, Johnson, the defending state champion in the event, would PR by almost a full second running a then Tennessee #6 All-Time mark of 47.26. Noble, hot on his heels, would run a TN #11 of 47.66. Here are a couple of notes of significance of these times and the time at which they were run according to our database.
- Less than 20 runners total had ever run under 48 seconds prior to 2022. Only once before have two done so in the same race and that was the 2019 State Championship.
- There are 38 documented times under 48 seconds. 2022 now accounts for six of them. Noble did so four times, Johnson once, and Germantown's Alec Reed once.
- April 14th is the second earliest calendar date the 48 second barrier has been broken. The earliest was HVA's Willington Wright who ran 47.90 on March 31st, 2018.
Later in the season, Noble leapfrogged Johnson in the All-Time Rankings with this 47.12 at the Section Championship moving him to #5 on the list.
Alec Reed placed second with a 47.98 and Johnson third with a 48.14. This was now the third time two runners in the same race broke the 48 second barrier. Both Noble and Reed return this season and if both can stay healthy, the state record of 46.60 may not stand for very much longer.