Ward Melville High School 4x400m Relay Team Takes 2nd Place at Millrose Games

The Millrose Games, in its 109th year, is a prestigious indoor track and field event that features Olympic and world champions, professionals, youth, clubs, masters and top high school athletes. This year’s event was held on Saturday, Feb 20, at the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory, in Manhattan.

Some of biggest stars, such as 9-time world champion Allyson Felix, world record holder and Olympic decathlon champion Ashton Easton, Olympic medalist Janay DeLoach, Wanamaker Mile champions Shannon Rowbury and Matt Centrowitz, 4x400m Olympic gold medalist Natasha Hastings, and US race walking record holder Maria Michta-Coffey, were present.

Also present but not competing was Dwight Stones, the first US high jumper to set a world record with the “flop” technique.

Ward Melville High School coach Tom Youngs is proud to have sent both 4x400m and 4x800m relay teams to the Millrose Games. The 4x400m team, consisting of Hannah Hobbes, Samantha Rutt, Madison Hobbes and Allyson Gaedje, came in 2nd behind Uniondale in the high school girls long Island 4x400 race, with a time of 4:00.99. The 4x800m team, with Samantha Sturgess, Allyson Gaedje, Shannon Ryan and Elizabeth Radke, ran their race in 9:34.21. Sophomore Allyson Gaedje competed in both events.

Maria Michta-Coffey, the Nesconset native who competed in the 2012 London Olympics 20km racewalk event, won the 1-mile racewalk in 6:30.16.

All photos by Frank L. Fumelli