The VA Showcase in Virginia Beach, Virginia will be live streamed all weekend on FloSports and MileSplit. Watch live on the link below and be sure to catch all the interviews, results, and coverage right here on MileSplit.
This year the VA Showcase is loaded with talent from 24 different states and Jamaica. Though we should see amazing races and field events across the board, here are the 10 events you cannot miss.
Friday 11:30am Girls 200m Dash
Though this race doesn't carry the "invitational" moniker, it is a cannot miss event. The top three current entries are Lisa Raye (RI), Dasia Reed (FL), and London Jackson Bray (TX) who all have dipped under 24 seconds before.
Friday 4:35pm Boys Invitational 500
If you're tuning in to see Quincy Wilson run, this is the time to do it. He will chase the national record in this event and avenge his time last year where he fell just 0.02 seconds away from the record. Don't count out Bayside's Andrew Salvodon though. He is currently US #1 in this event at 1:01.90 and this is his home track.
Friday 4:45pm Girls Championship 4x400m Relay
This is your Penn Relays rematch between Hydel of Jamaica and the Bullis School of Maryland. Both teams return their squads from a year ago and could chase down the meet and U20 world record of 3:37.63. Could we see multiple 52 second splits?
Saturday 12:10pm Mixed 4x400m Relay
The Bullis School is back and eyeing another record in this one. Meet management also told us they expect Quincy Wilson to run one of the two legs for Bullis meaning they have a serious shot at taking down this record.
Saturday 12:15pm Girls 60m Dash Final
This is where things get exciting with back-to-back finals. In this race alone, 500 athletes will be raced down to just eight who make the final. There are 11 girls already entered under seven seconds and leading the group up front are Lisa Raye (RI), Payton Payne (MD), Maya Love (NC), and Celeste Robinson (TX).
Saturday 12:25pm Girls 60m Hurdle Final
Right on the heels of the dashes will be the hurdle finals and though we may see something special in the boys race, this girls race is next level. Union Catholic's Taylor Cox, the defending NBNI/NBNO hurdle champion is going to square off with Florida's Aleesa Samuels who ran 13.12 in the 100mH last year! Add in South County's Mia Mason who is coming off of a 7.79 (55mH) in December and you have yourself a race.
Saturday 12:40pm Invitational Boys 1K
When the distance races are great at the VA Showcase they are historically great. This looks to be the case in the boys 1K with US #1 Cole Boone looking to lower his 2:23.68 to a national record 2:22.28. In his season opening 2:23 he ran it solo, this weekend though he is going to have competition from the likes of Bullis' Colin Abrams who has gone 1:49 indoors for 800. Some other top competitors are Vermont's Andrew Thornton-Sherman, Tsedeke Jakovics, and D'Angelo Brown.
Saturday 1:40pm Invitational Boys 4x200m Relay
In these four heats (slow to fast) things can get crazy. Just two years ago those winners went US #1, US #1, US #1, and then the final heat took US #2 all-time to win. All the heavy-hitters are back with Archbishop Carroll, IMG, Bergen Catholic, Cuthbertson, Parkland, Colonial Forge, and so many more ready to race. Our bet is this is when it gets the loudest inside that facility.
Saturday 2:00pm Invitational Girls 500m Dash
This is a fun event to watch. More and more out of state talent come down to try this "off event". Four names jump off the page for us in this one. You have Sophie Rambo, a VA girl who knows how to run this race and enters with a seed time of 1:11.76. Then you have Morgan Rothwell of Bullis who has run 1:12 and the potential to go way quicker. Up next you have NC's Mahogany Spikes who has also run 1:12 and enters with a seed time faster than our current US #1. Finally, you have Hydel (Jamaica) superstar Abigail Campbell. Campbell is the Jamaican national champ (52.2) over 400m and was the national runner-up over 800m so she seems perfect for this race. The meet record is also the national record and that is Athing Mu's 1:10.22.
Saturday 2:30pm USATF Boys 300m Dash
Nearly closing out the action will be another race with a bang and that will be a USATF sanctioned section of the 300m dash. This race will feature current US #1 Jayden Horton-Mims and his pursuit of the VA Showcase and National Record of 32.64. He just ran 33.00 for his season opener so if he can get out and pushed, it's going to be a fun one.
As a reminder, these are just some of the many amazing races we will see all weekend long. You can follow along live on the broadcast or follow @MileSplit on social media to state up to date with all the action happening at the Va Showcase.
