It’s not uncommon to see family roots running deep for star athletes, including sports like track & field and running. Locally, a runner that comes to mind is Johnny Gregorek. The former Seekonk all-stater, who endured a successful professional career that included a sub 3:50 mile and a qualifying spot at the World Championships in 2017, came from a strong family background. His father, John Gregorek, was a two-time Olympic steeplechaser and his mom, onetime Seekonk standout Christine (Mullen), was an Olympic Trials finalist for 800 meters.
The latest of outstanding pedigree is Owen Powell, one of the nation’s top middle-distance stars. Powell is the son of Andy and Maurica (Carlucci) Powell, two MA hall-of-famers, who certainly made a name for themselves as high schoolers in the late 1990s before embarking on successful running careers at Stanford and coaching careers at Oregon and now the University of Washington.
Owen Powell, a senior at Mercer Island (WA), was in a city his parents once called home this past Sunday, competing in the Junior Boys’ International Mile of the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, which was held at the TRACK at New Balance. Powell was in the race from the beginning and finished second overall with a personal best of 4 minutes, 1.14 seconds. The Washington commit did most of the pace-setting and held the lead coming down the final straightaway before getting passed by Belgium’s Elliot Vermeulen with about 50m remaining Vermeullen broke the tape in a meet record of 4:00.58.
“I did the best I can,” Powell said. “I didn’t think I would have to take the race from the start. That definitely threw me off a little bit, I tried my best, and got passed in the last 100 meters. It happens. I am still very happy with this effort, It feels good. I put in everything I had today.
During his heyday as a star runner for Oliver Ames, Powell’s legendary dad clocked an all-time best of 4:02.70 for the mile to win the 1999 Eastern Athletic Conference T&F Championships. He was also involved in one of the most historic distance races in MA history when he finished second to Lynn Voke’s Franklyn Sanchez at the MIAA All State Meet in 1998 with the two separated by mere strides at the finish with times of 8:49.60 and 8:50.29, respectively. These are times that have been challenged lately, but still stand at Nos. 1 & 2 all-time indoors.
Owen Powell, no doubt, is following right in his dad footsteps. Along with his mile PR, he also has a best of 8:04.83 for 3K, an effort he did a few weeks ago at the UW Preview, held at the Dempsey Indoor Center in Seattle.
He gives credit to both his parents for their guidance and support in his very promising running career.
“I’m lucky I had a really good team and high school coach,” he said. “I am thankful my parents have always been so encouraging, and helpful to me. I definitely owe them a lot of credit of where I am today.”
Former Peabody great Heather MacLean, who competes for New Balance Boston, won a tight mile race at NBIGP. MacLean was just under her meet record from two years ago, breaking the the tape in an indoor best 4:23.32. Just .26 separated the top three finishers with Kenya’s Susan Ejore-Sanders (second, 4:23.55) and U.S. runner Sinclaire Johnson (third, 4:23.58) taking the next two spots.
“I feel great. I am ready to keep the ball rolling,” she said. “I am just super excited that I was in it today, I was competitive and I really gave it my all out there. I am just so grateful for that.”
Like Powell, she benefitted from a hometown crowd.
“Even just looking in the stands before I started I could see my mom and my family. My nephews were here. My fiancée here,” she said. “I could feel all the supportive love I was getting out there.
MacLean will be back on the track this weekend when she travels to NYC for the Millrose Games. She entered in the mile.
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The NBIGP wasn’t the only high-level competition this past weekend. On Friday and Saturday, a bunch of top collegian and professional athletes were competing at the annual BU Terrier Classic. The two-day event featured the women’s events on Day 1 and the men’s event on Day 2.
Among one of the top highlights was a new NCAA indoor mile record of 3:48.32 by North Carolina’s Ethan Strand.
The meet featured a few former and current high school stars, too.
Tewksbury alum Makayla Paige, a senior at North Carolina State, came close to breaking two minutes in the 800m. Paige finished second overall with PR of 2:00.57.
In the Invitational 400m, former Cambridge Rindge & Latin standout Kylee Bernard, a sophomore at Boston College, was timed in 55.33, good for sixth overall.
Plymouth North’s Macey Shriner demonstrated her range by capturing the Open 400m in 55.89. Three weeks agon, Shriner broke five minutes for the first time in the mile, taking runner-up honors at the Northeast Invitational in 4:58.17.
MA native Sydney Masciarelli, the 2018 Foot Locker Nationals winner, was 19th overall in a loaded mile race. The North Carolina senior crossed the line in a best of 4:39.26.
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The MIAA Divisional Championships are coming up fast.
Next week, to be exact.
The meets will take place during a four-day span. Division 1 will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Division 2 is on Thursday, Feb. 13, followed by Division 3 on Friday, Feb. 14 and Division 4 & 5 on Saturday, Feb. 15.
Bay State Running will provide preview capsules of all the meets.
