By Michael Newman

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Here are the ILXCTF Illinois Girls Athletes of the Year in the three classifications in the Distance Events. Congratulations to all the athletes that were recognized for these honors.

3A Girls

Katelynne Hart of Glenbard West took two steps up from where she was at the end of her freshman track season. Hart took distance running in Illinois up another level during the 2018 Track & Field Season. The sophomore started by coming from four seconds back in the final 200-meters to win the National championship in the 1-Mile Run at the New Balance Indoor Nationals.

Hart’s 9:52.02 3200-Meter Run at the Sue Pariseau Invitational set a new state record in Illinois for the distance. At the Magis Miles in Chicago two weeks after the Girls State Meet, Hart ran 4:44.63 in the 1-Mile Run to set another Illinois state best. Hart also completed the distance triple crown by winning the 3200 Meter Run and the 1600 Meter Run at the IHSA State Meet.

Hart was challenged only twice in Illinois races this spring. Both race challenges came from Enyaeva Michelin from Evanston Township. In both 1600 and 1-mile races at state and Magis Miles, Michelin pushed Hart until the final 100-meters until the Glenbard sophomore pulled away for the win.

Michelin’s senior season rivaled that of Hart with some fantastic times. Michelin won the state championship at 800-meters running 2:08.44 for the title. Her 4:46.29 in the 1-Mile Run at Magis Miles ranked sixth nationally. She also ran 10:16.58 at the New Balance Invitational in Detroit that ranked her second in Illinois and the top 20 nationally at that distance.

In any other year, Michelin would have received this honor. It is deserving for her. It was Hart that was a step ahead.

Congratulations to Katelynne Hart, a sophomore from Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, as the 2018 ILXCTF Illinois 3A Girls Distance Athlete of the Year. Hart also received this honor in 2017.

2A Girls

There were three individual state champions in this classification this past track & field season. There was one athlete that stood ahead of the rest.

Jenna Schwartz of Waterloo added to her state championship last fall in cross-country with winning the 3200 Meter Run. Campbell Petersen of Dunlap came from behind to win the 1600-Meter Run.

Rachel Hickey of LaSalle-Peru High School had a memorable state meet in her senior season. She started out by anchoring her team to a third-place finish in the 3200 Meter Relay. Hickey came back to win her second 2A state title in the 800 Meter Run by over two seconds ahead of Illiana Christian’s Gillian Fiene. Hickey came back to finish second behind Petersen in the 1600 Meter Run.

Congratulations to Rachel Hickey, a senior at LaSalle-Peru High School in LaSalle, as the 2018 ILXCTF Illinois 2A Girls Distance Athlete of the Year.

1A Girls

It was not that hard of a choice selecting Arielle Summitt of Urbana University in this category. Summitt won her third straight IHSA 1A Girls state championship at 800-meters running 2:11.03 for the championship win. Her margin of victory was over four seconds ahead of Harvest Christian Academy freshman Carsen Forte.

Marianne Mihas, another of the strong 1A Girls freshman class from Latin School in Chicago, fell in her prelims of the 800 Meter Run at state and failed to qualify for the finals. Mihas came back to run 4:56.29 in the finals for the state title by more than a second ahead of Summitt. The two athletes were 18 seconds faster than the rest of the pack in that race. That’s how dominating both were. In her final prep season, it was Summitt that was on top.

Congratulations to Arielle Summitt, a senior at Urbana University School in Urbana, as the 2018 ILXCTF Illinois 1A Girls Distance Athlete of the Year.

Photo: The final two mile races at the IHSA State Meet and Magis Miles between Katelynne Hart and Enyaeva Michelin were memorable ones (Laura Duffy Photo)