In this week's Distance Gala Weekly, we wrap-up the Midwest Distance Gala, which featured U.S. #1 marks for the boys mile and two mile. We count down the top ten performances of the meet, looking at each event and the winner's of each race.

Additional Articles of Interest

Dyestat Distance Gala Coverage
Milesplit Distance Gala Coverage
Andrew Springer Now the Nation's Number One Miler (The Providence Journal)
Dyestat Portland Track Festival Coverage
A Brief Chat with Usain Bolt and Michael Johnson (Runner's World)
NCAA T&F Championship Results (FlashResults)
NCAA T&F Championship Coverage (Runnerspace)

The last week of Distance Gala Weekly wraps up the rest of the state meets in our Top Ten Countdown. It's been a fun season of reviewing the top performances this week, but many top performances are still waiting to be posted. With the Midwest Distance Gala, Nike Outdoor Nationals and USATF Junior Nationals still to be run, make sure to keep your eyes open as the top athletes come blazing to the finish.

Top Ten Countdown

State meets dominated this week's Top Ten Countdown, led by seven top performances from either New Jersey or California athletes.

10. Simone Brickley (Sr., Dallas Madison, TX) - While many female middle-distance runners are starting to dip under 2:10 for 800m, one of the most impressive performances in the event this spring took place on Saturday at the Texas State Meet. Brickley won her division of the 800m in 2:09.81, but what was even more impressive is that she won by just over nine seconds. What a fantastic way to close out her senior season.

9. Elijah Greer (Sr., Lake Oswego, OR) - High expectations, a field where everyone has run much faster, and the glitz and glamour of running in front of your future college fanbase, seemed to keep Greer out of contention at the Pre Classic on Sunday. Even though he was not happy with his performance, he still broke 1:50 yet again this spring, something only one other 800m runner has been able to do this spring. Greer finished ninth overall in 1:49.15 and is looking forward to bigger performances in the coming weeks.

8. Aly Drake (Sr., Valencia, CA) - Californians earned four sports on this week's Top Ten Countdown, starting with Drake's performance. Drake came up big at the California State Meet, winning the 800m dash in 2:07.45. Running stride for stride with senior Carlyle Davis, Drake was able to come up big for the win, and a U.S. top ten performance, while Davis finished closely behind in 2:07.82.

7. Stephanie Morgan (Sr., Barnesville, OH) - Morgan has been a bit quiet this season, but she's rounding into form nicely. This past weekend, at the Ohio State Meet, Morgan once again won the 1,600m and 800m events. The Baylor-bound senior won the 1,600m in 4:50.93, then came back shortly after to win the 800m in 2:09.77. With two weeks to go until Nike Outdoor Nationals, Morgan seems primed to make a run at the national mile title once more.

6. Chris Schwartz (Sr., Foothill, CA) - Schwartz had a slow start to his track season, but he came up big when it counted most in the end, winning the California State 3,200m run in a U.S. #3 mark of 8:51.60. Schwartz ran to a two second win, but even more impressive was the long streak of runners behind him. Eight other runners broke the nine minute barrier, showing once again why California has to be considered the best state for distance depth year in and year out.

5. Mac Fleet (Sr., University City, CA) - As one of the top middle-distance runners in the country, Fleet seems to be coming on strong at the right time. The Oregon-bound senior won the California State Meet 1,600m run in 4:05.33, which ranks him at U.S. #2 behind Illinois senior Jeff Thode. Fleet beat a star studded field, including sophomore Elias Geydon (So., Loyola, CA), who finished second in 4:07.26.

4. Melanie Thompson (Sr., Voorhees, NJ) - Similar to California, New Jersey had a great week of performances, as the New Jersey Meet of Champions took place. Starting off the top three New Jersey performances was Melanie Thompson's 4:46.28 1,600m victory. The Voorhees H.S. senior won in a U.S. #2 time, leading two others under 4:47. Freshman standout Ajee Wilson (Fr., Neptune, NJ) placed second in a U.S. #4 time of 4:46.84, while Ariann Neutts (Sr., Roxbury, NJ) finished in a U.S. #5 time of 4:46.95. Three U.S. top five performances in one race is exceptional.

3. Jordan Hasay (Sr., Mission Prep, CA) - Choosing who'd be number one on the Top Ten Countdown was a tough choice this week. Hasay's performance Saturday at the California State Meet was inspiring. Taking out the laps on national record pace, Hasay wanted to conclude her regular season career with a national record. However, she couldn't maintain the effort, finishing 18 seconds up on the field in a U.S. #1 time of 10:05.29.

2. Robby Andrews (Sr., Manalapan, NJ) - With sub-4 talk starting up over the past week, Andrews showed why he has a legitimate shot at breaking the mark, making a statement with a 1:48.66 800m victory at the New Jersey Meet of Championships. The Virginia-bound Andrews ran even splits the entire way, running a new U.S. #1 mark at the distance. Next up, taking a stab at the vaunted four minute mile barrier in Portland.

1. Jillian Smith (Sr., Southern Regional, NJ) - Few athletes have had the career Smith has had. The Michigan-signee wrapped up her New Jersey racing career with an amazing performance over 800m, winning another New Jersey Meet of Champions race. Smith broke away and never looked back, winning the hotly contested race in a new U.S. #1 time of 2:04.67. Coming in second, with a U.S. #3 mark, was Emily Carrollo (Sr., Pope John XXIII) in 2:06.94, while Marielle Hall (Jr., Haddonfield Memorial, NJ) grabbed a U.S. #4 clocking in 2:07.33.

With state meets wrapping up around the nation, most of this week's highlights focus around state meet action. We also announce three of the top registered athletes in the Midwest Distance Gala, which takes place Saturday, June 13, in Lisle, Illinois.

Top Ten Countdown

State meets, sectional races and the Reebok Grand Prix dot this week's Top Ten Countdown.

10. Heyden Wooff (So., Camarillo, CA) - While there were many, many notable 3,200m and 3,000m performances over the weekend, Wooff stands out in particular because he ran 8:57.66 to win the Southern Section race, which saw two others run under 9:01. The thing about Wooff is that he's only a sophomore. Second place in the race was junior Matt McElroy (Jr., Edison, CA) in 8:59.91, while fellow sophomore Sam Pons (So., S. Pasadena, CA) ran 9:00.95. Furthermore Erik Olson, who ranked #1 earlier in the year, won his section in 8:55.06, and he's only a junior. The future is looking bright in California!

9. Peter Callahan (Sr., North Shore Country Day, IL) - Quietly making his name known among the top middle-distance runners in the country, Peter Callahan pulled off a great double victory at the Illinois State Meet. Competing in Class A (the smallest class), Callahan beat a strong 800m field to win in a new class record of 1:51.22, while coming back to win the 1,600m by just over three seconds in 4:15.30. Did we mention that he anchored his team's 4x800m relay to all-state as well, running a reported 1:52 split? The Princeton-bound senior will look to drop his times further this post-season.

8. Megan Goethals (Jr., Rochester, MI) - In the Top Ten Countdown for the second time in as many weeks, Goethals showed why she'll be a force this post season, winning the 1,600m and 3,200m events at the Michigan State Meet. Goethals won the 1,600m event in 4:51.20, blitzing a 65.9 second last lap according to Dyestat. Six other girls ran 4:57.00 or faster in the race. Goethals' victory in the 3,200m was just as impressive, cruising to victory in 10:37.50.

7. Tyler Stutzman (Sr., Western Albemarle, VA) - While many of the top distance performances this weekend came in completing two events, Stutzman earned the number seven slot with a mighty distance triple performance. On Friday night, Stutzman won the 3,200m run in 9:10.03, earning a meet record. On Saturday, the senior finished third in a hotly contested 1,600m field, running 4:15.94, only to come back later in the day to win the 800m dash in 1:53.93.

6. New Jersey Group 3 Girls - The New Jersey Group Championships were so good this past weekend, we couldn't pick out simply one performance to talk about. The Group 3 distance girls really shined, with some great races. Senior Melanie Thompson (Sr., Voorhees, NJ) won the 1,600m run over Ajee Wilson (Fr., Neptune, NJ), 4:50.40-4:52.03, while Wilson came back to place second in the 400 meter dash (55.85) and win the 800m dash (2:09.66). Thompson placed second in the 800m dash with a 2:10.14 performance. Also, Chelsey Ley (Jr., Kingsway, NJ) won the 3,200m run in 10:28.42, while in Group 4, Jillian Smith (Sr., Southern Regional, NJ), won the 1,600m and 800m events in 4:55.88 and 2:08.68 respectively.

5. Jordan Hasay (Sr., Mission Prep, CA) - The Oregon-bound senior is at it again. Hasay won the 800m dash and 3,200m run at the Central Section over the weekend. Running at a controlled effort, Hasay won the 800m event in 2:09.64, while taking the 3,200m in 10:30.04. With the state meet next weekend, and the U.S. Track and Field Championships in a month, Hasay is starting to hit her peak time perfectly. Next weekend at the California State Meet could be quite special.

4. Michael Atchoo (Jr., Troy, MI) - He's only a junior, but Atchoo put himself in some special company this past weekend. Atchoo broke Dathan Ritzenhein's state meet record in the 1,600m run with his victorious 4:07.71 effort. Atchoo won the race by five seconds, earning himself a US#2 ranking. Later in the day Atchoo came back to place fourth in the 800m dash, running 1:55.53. Atchoo is expected to compete in the mile at the Midwest Distance Gala on Saturday, June 13 in Lisle, Illinois.

3. Emily Sisson (Jr., Parkway Central, MO) - Three victories and two state records concluded Sisson's first season as a Missouri resident. Sisson started the season quietly, but has picked up steam in the past month and turned in one magnificent weekend at the Missouri State Meet. Sisson helped her squad's 4x800m relay win in a state record time of 9:06.89, then came back to break the state record in the 3,200m run with a 10:24.12 performance. Completing the trifecta, Sisson won the 1,600m run in 4:52.15. Her teammate, Diane Robinson, placed second in the 3,200m run in 10:33.91, while placing third in the 1,600m run in 4:56.50.

2. Jeff Thode (Sr., Conant, IL) - Thode hasn't kept his goal of breaking the four-minute barrier quiet this season. Asked numerous times about his seasonal goal, Thode has stayed consistent that making a run at the magical four minute mark is his ultimate task this season. While he didn't quite accomplish it this past weekend, he did break a 20+ year state record in Illinois, by winning the 1,600m run in a new US#1 time of 4:05.17, this coming after he faded to fifth in the 800m dash earlier in the day. Thode seems poised to take a legitimate stab at the four-minute mark, here's to hoping he can do it.

1. Chelsey Sveinsson (So., Greenhill, TX) - Most fans of the sport did not expect another female to match Jordan Hasay's accomplishments this year, but Sveinsson is going to try her best to do so. This past weekend at the Reebok Grand Prix, Sveinsson placed 15th in the 1,500m field, running a US#2 mark of 4:18.13 for 1,500m, earning her US#9 all-time in the event. Sveinsson only ranks behind Hasay this season in the event, and will look to improve that time this post-season.

The 2009 track and field season is shaping up to become one of the all-time greats. It seems like every weekend new U.S. #1 performances are posted, often times ranking individuals and relay squads in the U.S. top ten all-time. This past weekend was no different, as state meets across the country concluded the regular season for many. See what took place in this week's Top Ten Countdown, while we also feature an interview with Ohio middle-distance standout Danny Neff.

Top Ten Countdown

Regional and state results dot the Top Ten Countdown this week. Here's this week's countdown:

10. Colette Gnade (Sr., Waukee, IA) - In one of the most breathtaking races of the weekend, Gnade out-sprinted Shelby Houlinhan (So., Sioux City East, IA) to the finish in the Iowa State Meet 800m dash. Gnade finished first in 2:08.84, while Houlinhan finished a half step behind in 2:08.97. Gnade's time ranks her U.S. #6 in the event, and broke the Iowa state meet record.

9. Jordan Chaney (Sr., Maryville, TN) - At the Tennessee State Meet over the weekend, Chaney why he's one of the most underrated middle-distance runners in the country. Chaney had a superb weekend, winning the 1,600m run in 4:13.19, while finishing second by .02 in the 800m dash. Chaney was edged out by Leoman Momoh (Sr., Cordova, TN) 1:51.81-1:51.83, in one of the finest 800m races of the year nationally.

8. Terrence Livingston (Sr., Great Neck South, NY) - Perhaps the most hyped 800m showdown this past weekend came between Livingston and Cas Loxsom (Sr., Wilbur Cross, CT). The two middle-distance standouts went head-to-head at the Danbury Dream Invitational (CT). In the end, Livingston edged Loxsom to the line, running a U.S. #3 mark of 1:50.39. Loxsom finished second in 1:51.34.

7. Katie Flood (Jr., Dowling Catholic, IA) - Since her freshman year, Flood has dominated the Iowa State Meet. Despite getting off to a slow start to her season, Flood came on strong over the weekend, winning the 3,000m and 1,500m races, while finishing third in a loaded 800m dash. Flood's winning marks were 9:55.11 (3k) and 4:35.13 (1,500), while her third place time of 2:11.16 ranks her well nationally, too. That's quite the triple for one weekend.

6. McKinzie Schulz (Jr., Benet, IL) - For the first time since 1985, the Illinois Girls State Meet saw the winner of the 1,600m run dip under 4:50. However, not only did one runner accomplish the feat, but rather two did. Schulz had a great weekend, winning the AAA 800m dash title in 2:12.12, then coming back with a runner-up finish in the 1,600m. Schulz finished behind Rebecca Tracy (Sr., Barrington, IL) as the two pushed to the line, with Tracy crossing first, 4:49.35-4:49.77.

5. Drew Butler (Sr., The Woodlands, TX) - Running in the best distance running regional in the country, Texas 5A Region 2, Butler showed why he is one of the best middle-distance runners in the country. Butler won a blazing 800m dash in 1:50.96, only to turn around and place second behind teammate Reed Connor in the 1,600m event. Butler ran 4:10.85, which ranks him U.S. #7 in the event.

4. Megan Goethals (Jr., Rochester, MI) - At the Oakland County Meet, Goethals put on quite the show. The third-place finisher at Foot Locker Nationals this past fall, Goethals is finally starting to really show her best stuff outdoors, as she won the 1,600m run in a U.S. #3 mark of 4:47.04, while winning the 3,200m as well in 10:38.50. Such signs of speed bode well for Goethals, heading towards the state meet.

3. Elijah Greer (Sr., Lake Oswego, OR) - Greer is proving to be quite the showman. The senior standout won the 800m dash and 1,500m run over the weekend at the Oregon State Meet, both with furious kicks at the end. Greer won the 1,500m run over in-state rival Nathan Mathabane (Sr., Lincoln, OR), using a 26 second final 200m to win in a U.S. #1 time of 3:50.56. Greer also won the 800m dash, in a hyper-tactical, very slow race, while also helping his team place top six in the 4x400m relay.

2. Reed Connor (Sr., The Woodlands, TX) - While teammate Drew Butler came in as number five on this week's countdown, Connor earned the number two spot with his amazing distance double over the weekend, which saw him earn two U.S. top five marks. Connor won the 3,200m run at the Texas 5A Region 2 meet, running a U.S. #4 time of 8:57.26. Connor then came back to win the 1,600m event over Butler, running the U.S. #5 mark of 4:10.69. And this wasn't even the Texas State Meet!

1. Central Bucks South (PA) & 4x800m Relay - In what could be deemed as one of the best 4x800m relay races of all-time, Central Bucks South (PA) came out victorious, running a Pennsylvania State Meet record of 7:33.48, while is U.S. #6 all-time. CBS showed why they are one of the best relay teams of all-time, dipping under the 7:40 barrier for the third time this season. However, their race wasn't the only impressive performance, as seven teams dipped under 7:45, and ten teams overall broke 7:50. This was hands down the best race of the year thus far.

An Interview with Danny Neff

Last year at the Midwest Distance Gala, Danny Neff (Sr., Vandalia-Butler, OH) showed why he'd be a major force his senior season. Neff placed fourth in the mile, running one of the top junior marks of the season with his 4:11.74 finish. Since then, Neff has established himself as one of the top 800m/1,600m threats in the U.S., and will go after something special this year at the Ohio State Meet, as well as Nike Outdoor Nationals. The University of Georgia-recruit talked with Distance Gala Weekly this past week, laying out his goals the rest of the season, why he chose UGA, and much, much more.

Midwest Distance Gala (MDG): You've had an exciting season thus far, including new personal bests across the board. What are your thoughts on how your season has gone thus far?

Danny Neff (DN): It's gone great. I couldn't be happier about how it is going and am even more excited for what is to come in June when the really big races start happening. That is what my main focus is on and what I have been working for all winter and spring.

MDG: Earlier this season you had a chance to travel out to the Arcadia Invitational, where you placed third in the mile, lowering your PR to 4:09.86. What was that experience like, being able to travel out west and take on some of the nation's best?

DN: I've never been out west at all and to be placed in such a crowded city was crazy! Around here, you will never see so many people in such a compact city. Racing-wise, traveling out there was a great experience. It got me to understand a little feeling for the traveling aspect of my sport. Typically, we'll just travel a couple minutes to a meet, but to fly all the way out there was great, especially with the great competition.

MDG: You've had a great season thus far, but your biggest meets are still to come. What are your goals the rest of the season? Any chance we'll see you try to win the 1,600m and 800m at the Ohio State T&F Championships?

DN: The Arcadia meet was the biggest meet so far this season but it was so early in my season I was not able to perform as well as I would have liked. All my training has been aimed for June and to try and hit great times. At my state meet I will definitely try an win both the 1600 and 800, but with the competition in Division 1 in Ohio it won't be easy by any means. One goal in particular I have wanted to get in the regular season is beating our state record of 4:05.13 held by running legend Bob Kennedy.

MDG: What do your post-season plans look like? What events will you be running?

DN: After the state meet I'll be running at the Midwest Distance Gala. I'm not certain yet if it will be the 800 or mile. I would love to get a fresh 800 in since I have not had that opportunity once this season due to weather, but that mile field might be too good to pass up! Following that, I will be running at Nike Outdoor Nationals most likely in the mile, which I've wanted to since I was there two years ago and saw a buddy of mine, Sam Borchers, win it.

MDG: You signed with the University of Georgia this year, which seems to have picked up quite a few great recruits. Why UGA?

DN: Yeah, UGA is doing great in terms of middle distance and distance! It's a program that will be on the rise in the next couple years, and that is why I wanted to be part of it. One of the biggest reasons behind Georgia was the coach, Coach Pigg. He's a superb middle distance coach and that is what I classify myself as. Along with him, the team is great and the school has a beautiful campus! I couldn't have found a better group of guys to do something I love with for the next couple years of my life. Also, I am a huge sports fan and love the SEC. But it's a decision I made to try something different in a new atmosphere down south, too. I wanted to get a way and experience different things out of Ohio.

MDG: You've run in quite a few big meets over the past two years, including many of the biggest meets on the east coast? Do you have a particular race that stands out as your favorite?

DN: I don't know if this is considered the east coast, but the Midwest Distance Gala sticks out in my mind. Not only because I was in a race where Rob Finnerty almost broke four minutes, but it was a huge PR for me. I had been hitting workouts all year, and they weren't showing due to competition here in Ohio, but in that field at MDG I really got to see the benefits of my hard work. I have to say that after that race my coach and I were expecting to race at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games but some of those big indoor meets along the coast didn't go as planned.

MDG: How did you first get into running? When did you know you could be pretty good?

DN: I first got started running because my parents made me! I was always with the basketball, football, and baseball guys. However, they thought it would be a good idea my freshman year because I just had my second knee surgery on my ACL. I managed to injure both knees playing football. In fourth grade for school we had to run the 800m, and I got the record in about 2:30, so they figured I could try it for a year and get some down time from football.

I ended up at 2:00 for a freshman, but of course being stubborn, did pole vault in practice so I didn't have to run because I was not a fan of running in circles or cross country. It wasn't until my sophomore year, when I ran 1:53; I thought I could do something great in this. So my junior season of track I actually started running in the winter and into spring and I ended up at a 4:11 mile. Now it is something I love to do. Weird how things work out!

MDG: Ohio has had some great milers over the past few years, including Nike Outdoor Nationals champions Jeff See and Sam Borchers. What's it been like having so many great middle-distance runners to look up to and try to beat what they did?

DN: Having Jeff and Sam here in the Dayton area is great! I had a huge article of Jeff when he was a senior, and just won the NON mile in 4:04, even though I had never met him before. Then, I got to meet Sam after my sophomore year just before he ran at NON and went 4:03. I saw Sam's race in person and it gave me goose bumps. I told myself I wanted to do whatever it took to win the NON mile. However, I absolutely have to say that it was so impressive of Ben

Hubers to take that pace alone! But, with them being from the Dayton area, it is great. Sometimes there is too much pressure to try and break their records, but if you were to ask me, I am nowhere near as good as they were in high school. I just want to keep the trend of area runners winning the mile in NC this June. I almost don't want to let them down!

Quick Six (Six quick questions, six quick responses)

MDG: Favorite movie?

DN: Anything with Will Ferrell

MDG: Favorite TV show?

DN: Scrubs

MDG: Shoes you run in?

DN: Nike Air Pegasus

MDG: Favorite pro runner(s)?

DN: Alan Webb and Nick Symmonds

MDG: Favorite band?

DN: The Fray

MDG: Favorite website?

DN: Runnerspace by far!

State meets are going full force now, which means athletes around the country are hitting their peak form. It showed this past weekend, with numerous U.S. top five performances. Despite harsh weather in some part of the country, the times were great and we have it all covered.

Top Ten Countdown

Conference, regional, sectional, district and state results dot the Top Ten Countdown this week. Here's this week's countdown:

10. Gareth Gilna (Sr., Los Alamos, NM) - The New Mexico rivalry between Los Alamos High School and Albuquerque Academy is one of the best rivalries in high school sports. It was reignited once again this past weekend, as the Los Alamos and Albuquerque Academy runners went head-to-head at the New Mexico State Meet. Well, Los Alamos seemed to come out on top, with Gilna grabbing victories in the 800m, 1,600m and 3,200m. Gilna ran 1:56.13 for 800m and 9:27.35 for 3,200m, but his best performance came in the 1,600m, where the senior won with a 4:12.60 clocking.

9. Laura Tremblay (Sr., Thompson Valley, CO) - There's a lot of distance running talent in Colorado this season, and at the top of that list is Tremblay. Over the weekend she proved why she is an impressive recruit, helping her team's 4x800m relay team to a state championship and U.S. #1 time, then coming back to run 2:13.66 for 800m and 4:54.59 for 1,600m. All three performances combined make for quite the weekend.

8. Justin Zimmerman (Jr., Ferris, WA) - It's rare for someone to PR in the 800m dash by four seconds, especially when they are already a sub-1:58 800m runner. Well, Zimmerman did just that at the Greater Spokane League Championship over the weekend, when the junior clocked a U.S. top five time in 1:51.69. Zimmerman set a personal best by four seconds, while besting Jordan Curnutt (Sr., Mead, WA), who finished second in 1:52.46.

7. Shane Moskowitz (Jr., Central Kitsap, WA) - Moskowitz made a name for himself this past fall when he qualified for Foot Locker Nationals as only a junior. Well, he's back at it again, this time running a great 1,600m/3,200m double at the Narrows League Championship. Moskowitz ran a very solid time in the 3,200m with a 9:15.62 clocking, but his most impressive performance was easily his 1,600m time. Leading the whole way, Moskowtiz ran to victory in 4:11.75, and seems poised to run big the rest of the season.

6. Jillian Smith (Sr., Southern Regional, NJ) - Surprise, surprise! It was only a matter of time before Smith jumped back into the national spotlight. The University of Michigan-signee won the distance triple at the Shore Conference Championship over the weekend, placing first in the 1,600m with a time of 4:53.04 and the 3,200m in 11:05.76. Her most breathtaking performance came in her specialty, the 800m dash, which she won in a U.S. #2 time of 2:06.78.

5. Brian Shrader (Jr., Sinagua, AZ) - At the Arizona 4A-II State Meet, Shrader showed why he will be a force next year as a senior. The junior standout won the distance triple, running some great times along the way. Shrader won the 800m dash in 1:52.89, the 1,600m run in 4:13.01 and the 3,200m run in 9:10.47. Just imagine what he could run in any three of those events if he ran any of them fresh and not having to worry about running another event.

4. Central Bucks South (PA) - A few weeks ago at the Penn Relays, Morris Hills (NJ) and Albemarle (VA) battled to the finish of the 4x800m relay, with Albemarle pulling away to victory in the final strides, both squads breaking the old national record in the event. However, Central Bucks South (PA) got overlooked in the process, as they ran to a third place finish of 7:36.93. Well, Central Bucks South showed this past weekend that they won't be discounted the rest of the season, as they won the 4x800m relay this weekend in 7:37.43, once again dipping under the 7:40 barrier.

3. Jordan Hasay (Sr., Mission Prep, CA) - It seems as though every time Hasay runs, she always goes big-time with her performance and ends up in the national spotlight. On Saturday evening, Hasay raced in the adidas Track Classic 1,500m against many professional runners. Using the pros to help pull her to a fast time, Hasay finished eleventh overall in 4:16.92, a U.S. top ten all-time mark.

2. Thompson Valley (CO) - There were two U.S. #1 marks earned over the weekend, and the first came from the Thompson Valley girls 4x800m relay squad. Thompson Valley wanted to break nine in the 4x8 this weekend, and came just a split second short, winning the 5A Colorado State Meet race in 9:00.07. Hopefully, Thompson Valley will take their talent to Nike Outdoor Nationals and run for the national title.

1. Amanda Winslow (Sr., Collins Hill, GA) - The other U.S. #1 performance over the weekend came from Winslow. Taking part in the Georgia State Meet, Winslow wanted to close out her high school career with something truly special, and she did just that. The Florida State-bound senior won the 3,200m run in 10:42.70, then came storming back to win the 1,600m run in a new state record and U.S. #1 time of 4:44.97.

An Interview with Bill Matthews

For the past four years, Bill Matthews has established himself as one of the premier runners in the country. The Georgia-bound senior qualified for Foot Locker Nationals this past fall after winning the Foot Locker South Regional, while having a very solid track season this spring. Matthews spoke with Distance Gala Weekly this past week, discussing his decision to attend Georgia next fall, how his season has been and what his goals are for the rest of the season.

Distance Gala Weekly (DGW): You've been fairly quiet since competing at the Arcadia Invitational in early April. What have you been up to?

Bill Matthews (BM): I actually just completed a triple this weekend at our state qualifying meet. I ran the 3200, 1600, and 800 and went 9:10.1, 4:15, and 1:57.2. I negative split my 1600 with a 2:11 and 2:04.

DGW: At Arcadia you had the chance to compete in a very strong 3,200m field. What was your experience like racing at Arcadia and what did you take away from the experience?

BM: Arcadia did not go well at all. The only word to describe me probably would have been angry. I was not pleased with my time or race, and I felt completely depleted during the race. I enjoyed seeing friends at Arcadia, and meeting new people, but the race did not go the way I had desired.

DGW: Heading forward, what are your goals the rest of the season? What post-season racing will you be doing?

BM: Well for now the only meet I have left is state meet so far. I hope to repeat in winning the 800, 1600, and 3200 titles again. Right now, I am thinking I will probably just get ready for freshman cross country, but who knows.

DGW: You're headed to the University of Georgia next year. Why did you decide to attend UGA?

BM: I am very excited to be running under coach Pigg at Georgia next year. I really clicked well with him, and Georgia is a great school and location for me. I really enjoy living in the south, and I did not want to be anywhere that would get too cold in the winters. I definitely prefer the heat over the cold. Aside, from what has been previously mentioned I really have felt that it is the best fit for me. On some of my visits some schools just didn't feel right, but I felt completely at home at Georgia.

DGW: You've had an extremely successful and exciting high school running career. Out of all the races you've done, do one or two that standout above the rest?

BM: I would say my biggest race has to have been Footlocker South 2008 when I won the seeded boys race in 14:48. I was really excited because that time stacks up in the top 10 all time on that course. Also, I would say winning Great American in 2008 and breaking Sean Keveran's course record in the process.

DGW: Tennessee, for whatever reason, tends to get overlooked nationally, despite producing some strong runners over the past few years. What's the running community like in Tennessee and how close are you to some of your competitors?

BM: I have grown close to my competitors over the years, because it seems in like in the south it is impossible to not cross paths with other top guys in the south at least once a season. The funny thing is Matt Sonnenfeldt and I have been running the footlocker races since we were 10, we started off with the 9-10 age race. He is going to Kentucky next year, and I will be at Georgia next year so we will see much more of each other. I am sure we will end up racing each other until we are masters, both of us will tear it up in the 80+ rankings!

Quick Six (Six quick questions, six quick responses)

DGW: Favorite band?

BM: My favorite band is Blink-182. Apparently they are getting back together.

DGW: Favorite food?

BM: My favorite food is steak.

DGW: Shoes you run in?

BM: I am currently running the Nike Max Moto and I think they are ideal for my training.

DGW: Shoes you race in?

BM: I currently compete in the Nike Victory spikes.

DGW: Favorite vacation spot?

BM: Well I would have to say that Bermuda is pretty awesome. Bermuda is absolutely beautiful, and I had a blast when I went. But if not Bermuda, then going down to Seaside or Watercolor in the Fort Walton beaches in Florida is great. The only thing is that even though I am at boarding school, everyone from my old school and everyone from my current school go down there.

DGW: Favorite professional runner?

BM: My favorite professional runner is Craig Mottram by far. He is a complete baller.

Highlights Around the U.S.

* As stated in our interview above, Georgia-bound Bill Matthews (Sr., Baylor, TN) ran an impressive triple at his state qualifying meet over the weekend. Matthews ran 9:10.1, 4:15.0 and 1:57.2 respectively in the 3,200m, 1,600m and 800m. Matthews was even more impressive in the 1,600m race, which he negative split, going 2:11 for his first 800m and 2:04 for the second 800m.

* Jessica Tonn (Jr., Xavier Prep, AZ) once again showed why she'll be a force at Nike Outdoor Nationals later this season. Tonn won three individual events at the Arizona State Meet over the weekend. She won the 3,200m in 10:56.93, the 1,600m in 5:01.30 and the 800m in 2:14.84, while also helping her squad win the 4x800m relay. Tonn's impressive weekend helped her Xavier Prep team to the team title in 5A-1.

* While Jillian Smith was earning a top ten spot in this week's countdown, freshman sensation Ajee Wilson (Fr., Neptune, NJ) was running an impressive double. Wilson placed second in both the 1,600m and 800m at the Shore Conference Championships, losing only to Smith. Wilson nearly dipped under the 2:10 barrier in the 800m dash, running 2:10.31, while breaking five minutes in the 1,600m with a 4:59.93 effort.

* A few weeks ago, Erik Olson (Jr., Novato, CA) shocked the distance running community by breaking nine minutes for 3,200m and took over the U.S. #1 ranking in the event. Well, while he's lost his U.S. #1 ranking, the junior is making further strides, this time running 4:09.60, while easily winning the MCAL Finals. DyestatCal reports Olson will now focus solely on the 3,200m for the state meet.

* There's been a ton of freshman talent seen throughout the track and field season this year. And while it is expected that a few freshmen girls run very well around the nation, this year there are numerous freshmen boys running well. At the Idaho State Meet this past weekend, frosh runners Dallin Farnsworth (Fr., Highland, ID) and Cody Curtis (Fr., Couer D'Alene, ID) impressed. Farnsworth won the 5A 3,200m event in 9:34.35, while placing ninth in the 1,600m with a 4:34.66 effort. Meanwhile, Curtis placed third in the 3,200m in 9:38.34, with a 4:23.19 1,600m runner-up finish. What a combo of freshmen!

The end of the regular season means the times are starting to really pick up. This past weekend saw numerous U.S. top three performances, including a U.S. record by New York's Shelby Greany in the 2,000m steeplechase. As the times start to pick up across the country, we start counting down the top ten performances from each weekend, as we unveil a new segment called "Top Ten Countdown".

While a few meets were rescheduled due to the swine flu scare, and many states started to shift towards their state meet series', the first weekend in May did not disappoint with fast results from around the country pouring in. This week, we wrap up the Prospect Invitational in Illinois, while highlighting many other top national performances.

New U.S. #1 Times in 3,200m, mile and 800m

In addition to Hasay's U.S. #1 time in the girls 1,500m, new U.S. #1 performances were earned in the boys 3,200m and mile event, while the girls 800m dash has a new leader in the rankings.

At the CNY Coaches Association Meet in New York, Chris Stogsdill (Marcellus, NY) ran a new U.S. #1 time in the boys' mile, taking home the race win in 4:07.93. The senior, who's committed to Iona College, outran junior Alex Hatz (Fayetteville-Manlius, NY), who finished second in a great time of 4:10.80. CNY Coaches Asso. Meet Results

In the boys 3,200m, Erik Olson (Novato, CA) lowered his U.S. #1 time in the event, as he won by just over 20 seconds at the Sacramento Meet of Champions. Olson, who's only a junior, has shown this outdoor season thus far that he is the man to beat in the event, dipping under nine minutes for the second time. Sacramento Meet of Champions Results

Beating her personal best by over 1.5 seconds, Charlene Lipsey (Hampstead, NY) ran to a new U.S. #1 time in the girls 800m dash Saturday at the St. Anthony's Invitational. The junior showed why she might just be the best 800m runner in the country this season, as she blazed to a 2:05.83 finish. St. Anthony's Invitational Results