Above: Rodriguez before her 1500m race earlier this year - Photo by Ryan Comstock
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WEST GOSHEN, Pa. - Last night Sophia Rodriguez ran one of the fastest Middle School Miles in National History. Today, she made World History by running the fastest 5k by a 14-year-old girl ever.
This morning she made the nearly 900-mile trip from St. Louis to West Goshen, Pennsylvania, to compete at the John Hay Distance Festival.
We'll be honest; we expected her to scratch. But why scratch if you're in World Record form? So instead of stepping out, she threw down an outrageous 16:22.30 5K amongst co-ed competition to set a new Age WR.
Emily Pidgeon of Great Britain held the previous record of 16:24.28.
Rodriguez split 5:16 through the opening mile before negatively splitting her way to a 10:30 3200. She then split 5:13 over the next mile and closed to cross the line at 16:22.30.
Above: Rodriguez grimacing to the line - Photo by ComstockPhotosandSuch
For context - Rodriguez already holds the Age 14 2 Mile World Record. She ran 10:20.68 at the Nike Indoor Nationals meet to set that mark.
What makes tonight's effort ever so more impressive is that she ran a 4:50.20 mile last night at the HOKA Festival of Miles. She also split 4:30.66 through 1500m and 4:48.44 through 1600m in that race.
We can expect Rodriguez back in action at Brooks PR - where she is targeting a sub-4:50 mile.
While she isn't specifically targeting the U14 record, it is important to note that the age group WR is 4:40.1i. That time was set by Mary Decker and has stood for over 50 years.
Again - she isn't targeting that time specifically, but if there is anything Sophia Rodriguez has taught us, it's to expect the unexpected. We won't count her out.
