Above: Sophia Rodriguez discusses her runner-up finish
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NEW YORK, N.Y. - On Friday, Sophia Rodriguez set the World U14 two mile record at the Nike Indoor Nationals inside the Armory. The new standard is 10:20.68.
The eighth-grade phenom from Dallastown, Pennsylvania chased Brooke Wilson of Valor Christian around the banked track after positioning herself in the mid-pack early. She split 5:08 through the opening mile and took over as the leader around 2K.
Wilson retook the lead shortly thereafter, but Rodriguez was unrelenting and held her strong pace through the finish.
The youngster looked like a veteran among a field of high schoolers, splitting 5:12 over the second mile of the race. For reference, Wilson was the national runner-up at the Nike Cross Nationals in December.
Above: Rodriguez gritting her way to a World Record - Photo By Steven Pisano
Rodriguez's eighth-grade year has been nothing short of remarkable.
During the cross country season, she won the Pennsylvania state middle school championship and the Nike Northeast Regional Open Race. On the track this year, she has run as fast as some of the best in her age bracket, setting multiple middle-school all-time bests in Pennsylvania.
On Sunday, she doubled back in the girls mile. She was initially seeded in the slow heat but was bumped into the fast heat late. She proceeded to place ninth, running 4:53.76.
