A year ago, Denton Guyer's Brynn Brown was on a mission at the UIL State Track and Field Championships at the University of Texas.
The high school sophomore had progressively been getting faster and faster in each meet throughout the season for 3,200 meters -- from her debut of 10:33 to her Regional meet in 10:19 -- but the Texan, who was this race's runner-up as a freshman, knew she could go after the Class 6A state record of 10:13.81, which was set by Sandie Raines in 2013.
And almost immediately, through two laps, Brown set down a pace that no one in the field wanted to challenge.
With two laps to go, Brown had formed an almost 100 meter gap.
Then, on the bell lap, Brown went through in 8:55.
Brown would go on to close in 74 seconds, setting a new state-leading and US No. 5 mark of 10:09.91.
Girls 3,200m Class 6A Results
6A GIRLS 3200 METER RUN FINALS PLACE ATHLETE TEAM RESULT WIND H# 1 Brynn Brown 10 Denton Guyer 10:09.91 1 2 Natalie Cook 9 Flower Mound 10:24.96 1 3 Emily Cole 12 Klein 10:28.13 1 4 Heidi Nielson 10 Katy Cinco Ranch 10:34.62 1 5 Ava Peeples 12 Lake Highlands 10:36.01 1 6 Alexa Rodriguez 12 Laredo Nixon 10:39.58 1 7 Sophie Atkinson 10 Katy Cinco Ranch 10:55.66 1 8 Andrea De La Rosa 12 Brownsville Rivera 10:59.98 1 9 Jordan Mathis 11 Austin Vandegrift 11:07.47 1
Retrospective: Brown would also win her Class 6A 1,600m race in 4:48.37, earning her first state double. Then, in June, she became one of three athletes to break 10 minutes for 2-miles, finishing third at Brooks PR in a time of 9:57.54. The ensuing cross country season, Brown would set the nation's leading mark in the 5K -- and No. 2 all-time in cross country -- going 16:12.00, before an injury would sideline her. Though, not to be discounted, Brown rehabilited and was health again for NXR South, where she won before finishing just outside All-American status at Nike Cross Nationals -- an unfortunate fall in the first 400 meters forced her to play catch-up for the rest of the race. Brown was headed for big things in 2020. Her first 3,200m saw her crack 10 minutes for the first time at the distance, as she went 9:58.58 at the Coppell Relays in February.
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