Leachman Runs No. 2 All-Time 9:44.16 And Outlasts Hedengren's No. 3 All-Time 9:49.45; Nathan Neil Wins Boys 2-Mile; Crater OR Boys Win Second DMR Title; Dillard FL Girls Squeeze Past South Lakes VA

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Elizabeth Leachman and Jane Hedengren waged a 2-mile race for the ages on Friday on the first day of Nike Indoor Nationals at The Armory in New York.

Never before have two high school girls gone under 9:50 in a 2-mile race, indoors or out.

Hedengren chased after Leachman, who closed with a 4:41 mile on the way to a victory in 9:44.16. The sophomore from Boerne, Texas, the Foot Locker champion, has already run faster than the previous national record in the 3,200 meters three times in February.

Only Mary Cain has run faster for two miles among high school girls.

Hedengren, a junior from Timpview UT, who missed the cross country postseason with an injury, ran No. 3 all-time 9:49.45 for second.

"I feel so blessed to have all these girls pushing me," Leachman said. "Jane was out that second half of cross country season so I missed the opportunity to race her but she's incredible and she pushes me every time."

Last September in a memorable early season cross country showdown at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic in Southern California, Hedengren outsprinted Leachman to win a 3-mile race by a tenth of a second.

Leachman's inexperience with indoor 200-meter ovals caused her to pick up the pace a lap too soon.

"I thought we had two laps left when we had three," she said.

It all worked out. Leachman will race the 5,000 meters on Saturday.

Watch more interviews from the meet at NikeIndoorNationals.com

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