Lake Oswego OR Junior Runs 22.89 To Break Bianca Knight's 2007 Record

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Mia Brahe-Pedersen, a junior from Lake Oswego High in Oregon, broke a 16-year-old national high school record Friday at the Don Kirby Invitational at the Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico, turning a lap on the 200-meter banked track in 22.89 seconds. 

Brahe-Pedersen, competing unattached, finished second behind Oregon's Jadyn Mays, who ran 22.86 for the No. 5 time in the NCAA this year. 

Brahe-Pedersen, who was fourth at the World U20 Championships in the 200 meters last August, had a previous best of 23.43 indoors. 

Bianca Knight's record time of 22.97, also set at altitude in 2007 at the Simplot Games in Pocatello, Idaho, was one of the longest-standing records for high school indoor track.

"Honestly, I didn't even know (about the record)," Brahe-Pedersen said. "I saw the time and was like, 'Huge PR, great time.' I walked off the track and my coach said 'national record' and I was like, 'What are you talking about?'"

Brahe-Pedersen ran in Lane 6 and was in the position where she couldn't see Mays on her inside but was determined to try and "fight her off," she said. 

"She's one of the main reasons we came down here (to Albuquerque), so I give her a lot of credit," Brahe-Pedersen said. "When I normally win, it's not that close. When I lose, it's usually not that close. So it was great to have someone there right beside me."

Sensational as the time was, it didn't feel like a perfect performance. She felt like she stumbled a bit coming out of the blocks and could feel a tinge of cramping right at the end. 

"Somewhere in the middle it worked. I think I'm a lot stronger now and I've been working on my form and top-end mechanics," she said. "Overall, I think I'm a stronger athlete since last year."

Brahe-Pedersen also ascended to No. 5 in American U20 indoor history and No. 7 among World U20 indoor competitors. 

Brahe-Pedersen is entered in the women's 60 meters Saturday in Albuquerque and comes in with a personal-best 7.35 seconds that she ran in Boston two weeks ago. 

Oregon's Alysah Hickey, a former club teammate of Brahe-Pedersen, also had a big day in the same building. She jumped a career-best 22-3.50 (6.79m) to set the program record and take over the NCAA lead in the long jump, along with elevating to No. 3 in the world this year.