MoCo Invite prompts 3 US #1s in Lake Braddock 2 milers, Rico Gomez

Rico Gomez (Douglass, MD) is the first high schooler in the nation to break 65 seconds this year in the 500m. He ran US #1 1:04.87 at the Montgomery Invitational. (Photo by Lisa McArthur)

There must be something in the water... or maybe the Lake. Kate Murphy and Alex Corbett, both of Lake Braddock (VA), ran new US #1 3,200m at the Prince George's Sports & Learning Center in Landover, MD on Saturday, January 10. The Montgomery Invitational is one of the DMV area's most competitive indoor events and the 2015 edition was no different, as 157 National Elite performances were recorded.

In the girls' 3,200m race, Murphy continued her indoor winning streak over Foot Locker finalist and fellow sophomore Libby Davidson, 10:30.82 - 10:52.9. The mark is a personal best for Murphy by a full 10 seconds. One year ago, she ran 12:31.78 for the 3,200m distance. Davidson's time is an indoor personal best, though she has run 10:49 indoors for two miles. Only one other girl has broken 10:52 this season - eighth-grader Amaris Tyynismaa (Catholic-Montgomery, AL) back in December with a 10:37.1 time.

Kate Murphy (Lake Braddock, VA) has improved by two minutes in the 3,200m since last year. (Photo by Lisa McArthur)

On the boys' side, it was a super-sweep for Lake Braddock as Corbett led teammate Kevin Monogue to a 1-2 charge, 9:09.98 - 9:20.17. The time was a big personal best for both seniors, as Corbett ran 9:15 outdoors and 9:22 one year ago. Monogue recorded a three-second personal record. Corbett's time is top in the country by six seconds - Bryce Millar (FM, NY) is US #2 at 9:15.9.

One more US #1 came from the shorter side of the track, as senior Rico Gomez (Frederick Douglass, MD) burned 1:04.87 for 500m to win the race by nearly three seconds. He is the first high schooler in the nation to break 1:05 this year. The race was also his first under the 65-second barrier.