Nationals: Day Three - Mile record for Atchoo!

Nike Indoor, Boston: Tommy Brinn got the highest place of the final day in Boston, running 1:53.62 for 3rd in the 800. That makes him the No. 2 Michigan half-miler of all-time indoors, behind two performances of Isaiah Ward. Tyler Peruski finished 12th (1:57.05) and Chonsey Pogue 24th (1:59.01). Christienne Linton had a very busy day--4th in the hurdles at 8.60, 5th in the long jump at 18-9.25. She also made it to the semis of the 60 with her state-leading 7.69. Bridgette Owens-Mitchell finished 8th in the hurdles (8.81 after an 8.66 semi). Chris Hessell of New Haven placed 5th in the shot (58-5.75). Renaldo Powell finished 8th in the hurdles (8.22, after an 8.03 semi). Sarah Birkmeier cleared 12-2.5 to finish 9th in the vault. Alex Leptich took 11th in the mile at 5:02.67, and the heartbreak award goes to Noelle Bradley of Taylor Truman (Accelerators), who missed making the semis by 0.006--that's right: six-thousandths of a second!

National Scholastic, New York: Hand the state record in the mile to Mike Atchoo. The Troy sophomore earned it with his 4:11.14 runner-up finish. The old best, held by Dathan Ritzenhein, was 4:12.4. Note this is a full mile he ran, and that's the record we're talking about. The 1600m best is still 4:09.0 by Ritz, and that converts to a 4:10.5. On a combined/converted list, Atchoo is now No. 2 all-time, and holder of the junior record. Atchoo's teammate, Michele Morriset, took 3rd in the 2 mile with her 10:54.51.

Kendall Baisden impressed in the 200, finishing 5th in the high school race at 24.61 (No. 4 all-time) (24.88 heat). She again won the 7/8 400 race, clocking 57.13 (which would have been good for 11th in the high school race). Notable 200 heats came from Jordan Clark (25.29) and Dynasty McGee (26.04). In the relays, Motor City 13th in the boys 4x8 (8:02.48).