MYERS SETS WORLD U20 MILE RECORD AT DR. SANDER SCORCHER

MYERS SETS WORLD U20 MILE RECORD AT DR. SANDER SCORCHER
By Rich Sands, @thatrichsands.bsky.social
(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission. 

NOTE: A middle and long distance results summary is at the bottom of the story –Ed.

NEW YORK (25-Jan) — Australian teenager Cameron Myers made the most of his first indoor track and field competition, winning the mile at the Dr. Sander Scorcher and breaking the World Athletics Under-20 indoor (short track) mark. The 18-year-old Myers, who represents Nike, clocked 3:53.12 to take nearly two seconds off the previous mark, 3:55.02, set by American German Fernandez in 2009. The race was part of a slate of professional events at this collegiate meet, held at the Nike Track & Field Center at the Armory in Upper Manhattan.

“It was pretty tough for me. I just didn’t get rolling in the middle laps, when I needed to be running 57s and 56s,” said Myers, who was targeting 3:50.00, the mile entry standard for the 1500 meters at this year’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. “It’s pretty good for the first time running indoors and we’ll hopefully get that down by the time of Millrose in two weeks.”

Myers, who won the silver medal in the 1500 meters at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships, first broke 4:00 for the mile as a 16-year-old in February 2023 and has an outdoor personal best of 3:50.15 from last year’s Prefontaine Classic. With the win here today he booked his spot in Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games (February 8 at the Armory), where he will take another crack at the Tokyo qualifying time. (The actual 1500 qualifying time is 3:33.00.)

“That should be a fast race,” he said of Millrose. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Yared [Nuguse of the U.S.] and Josh [Kerr of the U.K.] go at it and run 3:46 or even quicker. I’m just there to hang on and get a good sit for eight laps.”

Festus Lagat, a Kenyan who is part of the Under Armour Mission Run Dark Sky training group in Flagstaff, Arizona, closed well on the final lap, moving up from fifth to take the runner up spot in 3:53.45, just ahead of Great Britain’s Adam Fogg (3:53.49).

Katelyn Tuohy won the women’s pro/elite mile in 4:25.54, holding off Oregon’s Wilma Nielsen of Sweden who ran the #3 time ever for an NCAA athlete, 4:25.89. After the pacers stepped off the track, Tuohy dropped the pace, but Nielsen (a finalist in the NCAA indoor 800 the past two years) shadowed her over the final four laps. “I definitely felt her on my shoulder,” said Tuohy, a former New York State high school star who has been racing at the Armory since age 12. “I took a look up at the screen and saw she was still there, so I was like, we’ve got some work to do. I knew she had some wheels.”

After a decorated collegiate career at N.C. State, where she won NCAA titles in cross country and indoor and outdoor track, Tuohy is slowly building her professional resume. “[Last year] was a year of growth for me, coming off a little bit of an injury cycle, something I’d never dealt with to that extent before,” she said. “Definitely learned a lot about myself and managing my emotions and learning what it takes to overcome adversity.”

Kenyan Jonah Koech (1:47.56) won the men’s 800 easily, while American Nia Akins, the 2024 USA Olympic Trials 800m champion, took the women’s race in 2:01.03.

Akins found herself unexpectedly in the lead once the pacer dropped out at halfway and held off Olivia Baker (2:01.23) and McKenna Keegan (2:01.69) on the last lap. “I don’t normally run in the front, so I scared myself a little with that,” she said with a laugh. “But I was like, I’m just gonna look straight ahead and focus on finishing the best I can.”

After winning the U.S. Olympic Trials last year, Akins struggled in the second half of the season, and ultimately parted ways with the Seattle-based Brooks Beasts Track Club. A University of Pennsylvania graduate, she has since moved back to Philadelphia, where she is training with 2022 world indoor champion Ajee’ Wilson under coach Derek Thompson.

“I just want to have fun,” said Akins, who teased a new professional sponsorship announcement would be coming in the next few weeks. “The times and the places will take care of themselves.”  She continued: “I’m trying to remove the pressure of feeling like I have to pick up where I left off, or I have to be better. It’s really just about having fun, and I think I lost sight of that. I think once that happens I think we’re going to fly.”

The Dr. Sander Scorcher is a World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze Label event

Top Results:

WOMEN –
800m Pro/Elite (25):
1. Nia Akins, Unattached, 2:01.03 MR
2. Olivia Baker, Atlanta TC, 2:01.23
3. McKenna Keegan, Nike, 2:01.69
4. Emily Richards, Atalanta NYC, 2:02.98
5. Michaela Meyer, Nike, 2:03.08
6. Rachel Gering, Atlanta TC, 2:03.94
7. Brooke Feldmeier, Nike, 2:04.81

800m Invitational (24):
1. Cindy Bourdier, Central Park Track Club, 2:04.87
2. Sarah Jane Underwood, Central Park Track Club, 2:05.55
3. Lucy Henkel, Columbia, 2:05.62
4. Hannah Riggins, Princeton, 2:05.71
…

1000m High School Invitational (25):
1. Sophia McInnes, Bayport-NY, 2:45.61
2. Malina Santee, Chappaqua-NY, 2:48.34
3. Blair Bartlett, Princeton-NJ, 2:48.81
4. Zaria Hall, East Meadow-NY, 2:49.00
5. Anna Bockius, Wilmington-DE, 2:49.30
6. Maggie McCormick, Bay Shore-NY, 2:49.85
7. Ava Pennachio, Eastchester-NY, 2:49.98
…

Mile Pro/Elite (25):
1. Katelyn Tuohy, adidas, 4:25.54
2. Wilma Nielsen (SWE), Oregon, 4:25.89 PB/NCAA leader/#3 NCAA all-time
3. Sam Bush, Unattached, 4:30.42
4. Laurie Barton, Atlanta TC, 4:30.60
5. Elly Henes, adidas, 4:31.15
6. Mena Scatchard (GBR), Princeton, 4:32.95
7. Hannah Segrave (GBR), Atlanta TC, 4:33.01
8. Yolanda Ngarambe (SWE), Atlanta TC, 4:33.04
9. Margot Appleton, Virginia, 4:33.34
10. Kate Current (CAN), Unattached, 4:34.52
11. Gracie Hyde, Puma Elite, 4:36.97
12. Gabrielle Wilkinson, Atlanta TC, 4:37.29
13. Melissa Tanaka, Unattached, 4:40.59
14. Ellie Leather (GBR), Under Armour, 4:41.64
Rachel Gering, Atlanta TC, DNF/pace
Brooke Feldmeier, Nike, DNF/pace

Mile Invitational (25):
1. Rory Clare, Columbia, 4:39.39
2. Alana Levy, Unattached, 4:42.98
3. Mya Bunke, Wisconsin, 4:42.99
4. Kate Seary, Central Park Track Club, 4:43.47
5. Sophie Cantine, EMPIRE ELITE TC, 4:44.26
…

3000m Invitational (24):
1. Madison Offstein, Central Park Track Club, 9:16.43
2. Gwenno Goode (GBR), La Salle, 9:18.98
3. Shea Ruhly, Wisconsin, 9:19.68
4. Grace Moore, Unattached, 9:19.98
…

5000m Invitational (25):
1. Rose Coats, Maryland, 15:54.62 MR
2. Kidan Kidane, Central Park Track Club, 16:04.05
3. Hannah Snayd, Unattached, 16:18.92
4. Lucca Fulkerson, Princeton, 16:21.85
5. Anna McNatt, Princeton, 16:33.03
…

MEN –
800m Pro/Elite (25):
1. Jonah Koech (KEN), UA Mission Run Baltimore 800, 1:47.56
2. Alex Amankwah (GHA), UA Mission Run Baltimore 800, 1:49.17
3. Luciano Fiore, Atlanta TC, 1:49.40
4. Navasky Anderson (JAM), UA Mission Run Baltimore 800, 1:49.74
5. Mouad Zahafi (MAR), Unattached, 1:49.75
6. Shane Streich, Atlanta TC, 1:50.24
7. Edose Ibadin (NGR), UA Mission Run Baltimore 800, 1:50.33
8. Hazem Miawad (EGY), EMPIRE ELITE TC, 1:50.77
9. Russell Dinkins, Unattached, 1:52.69

800m Invitational (24):
1. Jacob Van Orden, Columbia, 1:49.59
…

1000m High School Invitational (25):
1. Trent Daniels, Gainesville-VA, 2:26.88
2. Claudel Chery, Theills-NY, 2:28.18
3. Henry Birge, Bristow-VA, 2:29.02
4. Benjamin Pizarro, Wilmington-DE, 2:29.26
5. Owen Blaisdell, Saratoga-NY, 2:29.59
…

Mile Pro/Elite (25):
1. Cameron Myers (AUS), Nike, 3:53.12 MR/WR U20*
2. Festus Lagat (KEN), UA Mission Run Dark Sky, 3:53.45
3. Adam Fogg (GBR), UA Mission Run Baltimore Distance, 3:53.49
4. Amon Kemboi (KEN), Puma Elite, 3:54.96
5. Eric Holt, Puma, 3:55.38
6. Justine Kipkoech (KEN), Eastern Kentucky, 3:57.57
7. Alexandre Selles (FRA), Unattached, 3:57.85
8. Adam Spencer (AUS), Wisconsin, 3:58.04
9. John Reniewicki, UA Mission Run Baltimore Distance, 3:58.40
10. Ben Allen, EMPIRE ELITE TC, 3:58.94
11. Damien Dilcher, UA Mission Run Baltimore Distance, 4:01.22
12. Luke Houser, Atlanta TC, 4:03.11
13. Sean Dolan, Atlanta TC, 4:07.82
Alex Amankwah (GHA), UA Mission Run Baltimore 800, DNF/pace
*World Athletics short track U20 record; previous 3:55.02, German Fernandez (USA), College Station, 28-Feb-2009

Mile Invitational (25):
1. Taha Er Raouy (MAR), Eastern Kentucky, 3:59.93
2. Nick Dahl, EMPIRE ELITE TC, 4:00.46
3. Jan Badia (ESP), Eastern Kentucky, 4:01.53
…

3000m Invitational (24):
1. Abraham Longosiwa (KEN), Hofstra, 7:58.92
2. Matt Rankin, Iona, 8:04.00
…

5000m Invitational (25):
1. Tadhg Donnelly (IRL), Iona, 13:52.34 MR
2. Gavin White, Columbia, 14:08.62
3. Edward Blaha, Columbia, 14:09.53
4. Scott Fagan (IRL), Iona, 14:12.68
5. Anthony Gargani, Saint Joseph’s, 14:23.89
…

ENDS