After finishing last in the 1000m race at the Boston Grand Prix a week ago, New Jersey native 19-year-old Agee Wilson reigned supreme in her pet event at the Millrose Games at the Armory in New York City last night as she copped victory in the elite women’s 800m run.
Dubbed “Road to Rio”, the race also featured Iceland’s 18-year-year-old Anita Hinriksdottir, who became her country’s first track & field World champion at the World Youth Games in the Ukraine last summer and Jamaica’s 22-year-old Natoya Goule, who dominated the event at the collegiate level in the USA last season.
Goule, a regular front-runner went out early, leading the pacemaker with Hinriksdottir in second and Wilson in third for a while. But at 1min, 06secs into the race, Hinriksdottir moved to the front with Wilson sitting comfortably behind her, pushing Goule into fourth behind Jenna Westaway, 19.
But the strength and experience of Wilson, the 2011 World Youth championship, 2012 World Junior champion and the sixth-place finisher at the Moscow World Championships, were too much for her rivals as she kicked into a higher gear at about1min. 44secs to smoothly go around Hinriksdottir, who soon faded to fourth.
Wilson stopped the clock in a personal best indoor of 2mins, 1.81secs in leading home Westaway 2:01.89 and Goule, 2:02.22. Hinriksdottir was timed at 2:02.66.
Wilson, who originally had committed to Florida State University before deciding to turn professional, now attends Temple University in Philadelphia.
Her winning time of 2:00.91 at the 2012 World Junior Games in Barcelona was the fastest run by a pre-collegiate female since 1982. Her outdoor PB stands at 1:58.21, posted at the Moscow World Championships.