The Glenbard West junior’s 1600 Meter Run win at WSC-Silver Girls was more than some expected

By Michael Newman

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We have gotten to the point that every time that Glenbard West’s Katelynne Hart steps onto the track this indoor season, something special will happen. This was the case Friday night inside the Joe Newton Fieldhouse at York High School.

Hart electrified the capacity crowd by running the leading time in the country this season for 1,600 meters when she crossed the line in 4:44.42, winning the race by almost 21 seconds ahead of Hinsdale Central’s Emma Watcke, who ran a great 5:05.18 time.

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To put this race into perspective, Hart’s time is the fastest ever by an Illinois high school girl for that distance on an indoor track. Hart also owns the fastest Illinois 1,600 meters outdoors (4:43.07), which she ran last spring at Magis Miles on her way to running 4:44.63 for a full mile. That time is also the best ever run by an Illinois girl.

The previous best was run by Woodstock’s Kayla Beattie when she ran 4:51.06 to win the 1,600 meters at the Illinois Prep Top Times Championships in 2011. That was after Beattie ran a solo 10:15.06 in winning the 3,200.

I was covering another meet Friday and when I saw the time it floored me. In talking to another friend, the next morning, he stated that the time was great, but thought she would run faster considering that the 1,600 was her only race of the night and that she ran 9:58 for a full 2-miles at the New Balance Indoor Nationals last Sunday.

The 1,600 was not her only race of the night. Glenbard West was in the hunt to contend for the WSC-Silver Girls Championship.

“What makes her mile even more impressive was that she anchored our 4x800 (9:24.63) in a split of a 2:11.4,” Glenbard West distance coach Paul Hass said.

The name of the game is to get points at a conference meet wherever you can. Hart and her teammates did just that running the second-fastest time in the state this season.

So, the 4:44 for the 1,600 that Hart ran is just that more amazing.

“After her New York first mile in 4:55 combined with the workout we did earlier this week, KK and I both thought she could run a very comfortable mile within the 4:48-4:52 range,” Hass added. “However, we planned to also have KK anchor our 4x4 so how much she pushed in the mile was her call, in case she wanted to save herself a bit for the relay.  After her 2:11 (in the 4x8), she said she felt great and her legs were fresh. I think she felt the same in the mile and decided to go for a good time since she felt so good.”

Hart did come back to run on the 4x400 relay. She came from behind to get her team the win (4:07.94) just ahead of Hinsdale Central (4:08.67) by running a 59.9 split.

Hart’s 1,600-meter run splits were: 67.6, 2:19.4 (71.8), 3:32.2 (72.8), 4:44.3 (72.1).

That race secured the conference title for the Lady Hilltoppers, who finished with 128 points.

This is becoming a memorable season for Hart not only for herself but for her historical place in state history.

So far, Hart ran the all-time best time for 3,200 meters when she ran 10:02.42 on Feb. 16 at the MITS Meet at Grand Valley State in Michigan. We had an indication that she would run a fast time in the national meet by splitting 2:14.2, running 4:49.39 for an open 1,600s, and then anchoring her team to a win in the 4x400 relay with a 59.5 split.

Her 9:58.42 time to finish second at the New Balance Indoor Nationals Indoor was the fastest Illinois 2-Mile time ever under a roof.

Hart now holds the best Illinois times ever for the 1,600 meters, mile, 3,200 meters and 2-mile outdoors. She also now holds the indoor bests in Illinois for 1,600 meters, 3,200 meters and the 2-mile. 

She has three state titles in cross country and four state championships on the track. Hart is only a junior. By the time she graduates from Glenbard West High, she is on pace to become the most decorated girls distance runner this state has ever produced. 

We only have a year and a half before this incredible young runner graduates from the high school level. If you get the opportunity to watch her race, take advantage of that opportunity. We may never see someone like Hart grace our Illinois High School tracks ever again.

Hart File Photo: (c) 2019 Laura Duffy