Just last year at the 2021 AAU Junior Olympics, Anastacia Gonzales toed the line for the 17-18 Women's 1,500m hunting for something special.
Behind such confidence, Boerne Champion (TX) distance runner found that special moment.
Gonzales executed quite the aggressive race strategy, and she dominantly gapped the field once she took the lead with 1,000m to go. She brought the crowd to its feet come bell lap en route to an elusive AAU title.
But even more impressive was the time that flashed on the clock as she crossed the finish meters ahead of the field -- 4:22.91. That significantly surpassed the previous 4:25.04 record set by Gabrielle Wilkinson in 2016.
It was the incoming University of Arkansas freshman's first and only AAU Junior Olympic experience during her youth career, but that 1,500m race made for a career-defining moment and a new addition to the AAU records books.
Related Links:
Throwback Thursday: Diggs Sweeps Short Sprints At 2020 JOs
Throwback Thursday: Brandon Miller Breaks 1,500m Record