Girls 300m/400m/500m
The 300m record could go down as early as January. McLaughlin and Irby will face off in the event at the VA Showcase on Jan. 13-14 in Lynchburg. Virginia native Ghee is a possible but as of yet unconfirmed addition to the field. McLaughlin ran her PR of 37.49 in 2015 to rank No. 2 on all-time performer list. Irby has raced the event just once, clocking 40.81, but rest assured that the 51.39 performer for 400m can run much faster. Ghee ran 38.33 as a junior last year and is the nation's top returner to the event.
Kentucky commit McLaughlin lowered Francena McCorory's indoor 400m national record last year from 51.93 to 51.84 in an astounding run to win New Balance Nationals Indoor. She's declined to say what events she'll focus on this winter, but she would surely have a great chance to lower her own record if she chooses to go after it. Irby is the only prep in the nation with a faster 400m PR than McLaughlin at 51.39, but she usually focuses on the 60m rather than the 400m indoors.
Any of the three could go after the 500m national record, and it's possible that they all enter the event at the VA Showcase. Neither McLaughlin nor Irby has a recorded track time in the MileSplit database over 400m (though Syd the kid has raced cross country!), but Ghee ran very close to the national record last year in 1:11.78. She ranks No. 3 on the all-time performer list.
Wildcard: Sammy Watson has never raced a 500m, but she'll run the event at the VA Showcase. The nation's best prep over 800m has incredible range: 52.69 400m PR, 2:02.91 800m PR, 4:22.09 1500m PR. She's also chasing the 600m and 1K national records this winter.