Gabrielle Wilkinson made sure to make a statement on Saturday with one lap to go in the girls high school mile at the 111th Millrose Game in New York.
Sure, record breaker Katelyn Tuohy of North Rockland (NY) High and Kelsey Chmiel of Saratoga Springs (NY) High were expected to be two of the top girls finishers in this famed race at the Armory.
But it was Wilkinson, the senior from Friends Central (PA) High and University of Florida recruit, who dominated in the final stretch and surged past Tuohy -- who led for much of the race -- to earn a big win in a new US No. 1 time of 4:42.94.
Wilkinson's time eclipsed Touhy's previous US No.1 of 4:43.62 from the Millrose Games Trials earlier this season. Chmiel finished in second in 4:44.55, then fellow Pennsylvania athlete Marlee Starliper from Northern (PA ) High was third in 4:44.97. Tuohy, struggled to close, finished fourth in 4:47.10.