The Podium: These Athletes Highlighted The Holiday Season

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The holidays didn't stop athletes from reaching new heights indoors leading into the new year.

Performances at a slew of invitational meets over the final couple weeks of 2022 saw numerous talents set new PRs and school records, and some even rose up the national leaderboards.

For the first edition of The Podium of the new year, we highlight some of those athletes, as well as others who showed extreme versatility across events in recent competitions.

Below, learn more about the first athletes on The Podium in 2023.

The Podium (Jan. 3):

Elena Cooper, Bryn Mawr (MD): Came away from The Armory HS Holiday Classic held Dec. 29-30 with personal bests in the 200m (25.83), 400m (58.59) and long jump (17-6), the latter of which broke her own school record in the jumps event. Cooper's performances earned her the meet title in the 400m, along with a pair of third-place finishes in the 200m and long jump.

Collin Gilstrap, Monroe-Woodbury (NY): Took home titles in both the 1,000m and 3,200m at the Coach Glynn Holiday Carnival on Dec. 28, and in doing so climbed up the national leaderboards for both events. Gilstrap clocked indoor PRs 2:34.42 in the 1,000m and 9:22.39 for 3,200m, which put him at US No. 7 and No. 5, respectively.

Justley Sharp, Homer Center (PA): Eclipsed her previous indoor shot put PR by nearly five feet to set a new all-time best of 45-0 for second place at the Hempfield Area Field Meet #1 on Dec. 20. Sharp's mark currently puts her at US No. 3 in the event, and the showing has been her only indoor competition so far this season.

Lathan Brown, Deptford (NJ): Clocked the first sub-50-second indoor 400m of his career at The Armory HS Holiday Classic held Dec. 29-30, running 49.18 for third place. That also makes Brown the only athlete in Deptford High School history to ever dip under 50 seconds at the indoor distance.