(Brooke Rauber / Tully, NY)
Watch Live: SPIRE Scholastic Showcase
It will be another busy weekend at the SPIRE Institute Indoor Facility as it plays host to the SPIRE Scholastic Showcase on Sunday. Some of the best talent in the country will compete at the event, looking to prove themselves at Ohio's premier meet of the winter.
Through the loaded field, we have identified five boys and five girls competing at the event that you should keep an eye out for on Sunday.
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Natalia Surdej - Lancaster, New York
Entering the week as a US No. 1, Surdej also holds the SPIRE Institute record in the weight throw. Surdej boasts a win at the Ohio Championship Preview last week in the event, along with a third place finish at the U.S. Air Force Hispanic Games. The 2020 New York indoor state meet runner-up will be chasing her own 58-0 facility record on Sunday.
Emma Callahan - Shenango, New Castle, Pennsylvania
Callahan enters the week undefeated in the shot put, with wins at both Youngstown State Open meets and the Ohio Championship Preview. Callahan has thrown a 48-0.25 this season, which is a US No. 1 ranking, and will be chasing the SPIRE facility record, which is set at 47-6.5.
Paige Floriea - Mentor, Ohio
Floriea will be competing in three events on Sunday, including the long jump where she is a 2020 state champion and undefeated in 2021, which includes a win last week at the Ohio Championship Preview. Floriea will also compete in the 200m, where she sports two wins and a personal best of 24.66, and the 60m, finishing 5th in this event last year.
Brooke Rauber - Tully, New York
Seeded second in the 1600m race on Sunday, Rauber boasts a 4:49.06 mile from the VA Showcase, where she placed second. Rauber ran her first ever open indoor 800 last week, running a 2:15.26, placing 4th at the Ohio Championship Preview, and will run the event again this week. Rauber showcased her speed in the 1K at the VA Showcase, running a 2:49.29, proving she has the speed to improve on both of these times and compete for both wins.
Autumn Wilson - St. Dominic Savio Catholic, Austin, Texas
Wilson is seeded first in the 60m and 200m dashes for Sunday's event. This season, Wilson has won the Grant Holloway Holiday Invitational in the 60m and has come in second in the 60m and 200m at the VA Showcase. Wilson is one of the most decorated athletes in the event, with wins at two of the most prestigious meets in the South in 2020, including a 60m trimph at the FasTrack High School Invitational and a 200m victory at the Texas A&M High School Indoor Classic.
(Brandon Miller / Fenton, MI ~ Grand Valley State University)
Justin Braun - Thomas Worthington, Ohio
As one of the most decorated athletes in the country, Braun will surely bring a lot of attention to the races he lines up for on Sunday. Registered for the 60m, 200m, and 400m dashes, it appears that Braun will consider competing for the sprint triple crown at the event.
Braun currently holds the SPIRE Institute facility record in the 60m and 400m, while also entering the event ranked a US No. 1 in the 400m. Carrying a win in his lone 400m race this season at the VA Beach Opener, Braun will look to win back to back 400m SPIRE Scholastic championships. Braun is also scheduled to compete in the ultra-deep 200m dash field, where he will be searching for his first victory in the event of the year.
Brandon Miller - Prime Time Performance, Fenton, Michigan
Coming off a victory in the 200m dash at the Ohio Championship Preview, Miller is the top seed for Sunday's event Miller placed second at the event last season. Miller is also scheduled to compete in the 60m, where he finished second at the Ohio Championship Preview. Miller is one of several competitors that stand in the way of Braun completing the sprint triple crown on Sunday.
Larry Josh Edwards - University High, Morgantown, West Virginia
Following a second place finish at the event in 2020, Edwards enters the event with the top seed in the 3200m. Seeded at 8:56.41, Edwards will be chasing Andrew Jordan's facility record of 8:54.41 on Sunday. In his lone race this season, Edwards won the 1600m at the Youngstown State High School Open No. 2, running a 4:10.02. Edwards has the speed and endurance it takes to chase down Jordan's five year record.
Jaylen Barringer, PWC Panthers, Woodbridge, VA
Another nationally acclaimed sprinter, Barringer is the second seed in the 200m on Sunday. With a win at the Technique Holiday Invitational and 4th place finish at the Ohio Championship Preview, Barringer is seeking another top finish at the SPIRE Scholastic Showcase and stands a great shot at winning the event. Barringer also leads off for the PWC Panthers 4x400m relay team that will be chasing the US No. 1 time of 3:16.98 (IMG Elite) and Spire facility record 3:16.70.
Gabe Hickman, Turpin, Ohio
Coming off a second place finish at the Ohio Championship Preview, Hickman looks to win his third shot put event of the season, including wins at the Youngstown State Open Meet No. 1 and Chieftain Grand Prix. Hickman also competes in the weight throw where he will be searching for his first victory of the season in the event.