Above: Watch as Victoria Rodriguez breaks the 2000m Steeplechase Record.
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On Saturday, Victoria Rodriguez (Dallastown) took down the 11-year-old 2000m steeplechase state record at the 96th Jack Roddick HS Invitational.
Rodriguez, a sophomore, won the 2000m steeplechase by running 6:57.29 in an impressive solo effort. She was running in a league of her own on Saturday, beating the rest of the field by over 27 seconds.
Rodriguez's gutsy performance nabs the previous state record of 6:57.77 held by Amy Darlington. Darlington was a 2012 graduate of Liberty and went on to have a successful collegiate career at the University of Pennsylvania.
"I had no idea the state record was in reach," said Rodriguez. "Before the last hurdle, I heard my dad yelling that I could go sub-7, so I went for it."
Rodriguez's commitment to go sub-7 certainly paid off, although it wasn't her primary target.
"It does feel very good to know I accomplished the record and even more so because I sort of went into this race without any expectations," said Rodriguez regarding her approach to the race. "I have not raced a steeplechase since my 8th-grade summer (8:20.61 at the USATF Mid-Atlantic Championship at Alvernia University), so I knew I could run pretty well and I attacked the race with that in mind."
This is a massive improvement in just two years for Rodriguez, especially with the steeple being such a foreign race for a PA distance runner. However, her success in such a scrappy distance event comes with no surprise from one of PA's leading 3A cross-country talents.
"I just think the overall fitness cross country has given me translated into the race today," stated Rodriguez when asked how her cross country abilities contributed to her steeple performance. "Just being able to put in all of that training and get something out of it in the fall and then see how that plays into track performance in the spring is very nice and rewarding."
Notably, Rodriguez's 6:57.29 performance ranks nationally as the current US No.2 time this season. This state record performance adds to an already impressive 2023 Outdoor campaign for Rodriguez. She has run outdoor personal best records in the 1600m, 3200m, and now the 2k Steeplechase.
