600m
Like most years, last indoor season was a strong one for the three-lapper. Two runners came close to breaking the 1:30 barrier, and more than 25 athletes dipped under 1:40. While three of the top four finishers from last year’s Meet of Champions have graduated—including 1–2 finishers Macey Shriner (1:30.54) and Giuliana Ligor (1:30.96)—there is still plenty of talent returning.
Expect some athletes to target this event at the state level, while others may choose to focus on the 1,000m. Either way, it shapes up as another highly competitive year.
The two returnees who stand out most are Framingham senior Sasha Lamakina and Lexington sophomore Amelia Whorton. Lamakina placed third at last year’s Meet of Champions, clocking an impressive 1:32.85—a time that would win most MOCs. Whorton, meanwhile, turned heads as a ninth-grader. She ran a personal best of 1:34.44 in the 600m to place second behind Lamakina in the Large School race at the MSTCA Coaches Invitational, and added a 2:55.88 for the 1,000m at the Division 1 Championships.
During the outdoor season, Whorton established herself as one of the nation’s top freshmen, running a PR of 2:10.16 in the 800m at the Division 1 meet and 4:53.91 in the mile at the Meet of Champions. In both races, she finished behind All-American Abby Hennessy of Westford Academy. She was second in the Freshmen 800m at the New Balance Nationals.
Another athlete to watch is Natick senior Chloe Elder, who could feature more prominently in this event than in past seasons. Elder ran the 600m just twice last winter, but she enters this season off a breakout outdoor campaign that included a nearly four-second PR of 53.73 in the 400m. Primarily a 300m runner during the winter months—and one of the state’s best—Elder’s sub-54 speed could translate well to the longer distance. Based on her profile, a time in the low 1:31–1:33 range is well within reach.. Her personal best in the 600m stands at a modest 1:41.73 from her sophomore year in 2024.
Needham’s Madison Roach, Westwood’s Tea Pagnotti, and Wellesley’s Kayla Bohlin all earned podium finishes last year, placing fifth, sixth, and eighth respectively, and all return this winter. Each could figure into the mix as the season unfolds.
1,000m
The state record in this event stands at 2:44.51, set by Belmont’s Ellie Shea in 2023. That three-year-old mark could be in serious jeopardy this winter. The runner we believe can break it—and do so convincingly—is Westford Academy phenom Abby Hennessy.
The gifted senior is coming off a remarkable cross-country season, highlighted by a fifth-place finish at the recent Brooks XC Championships. And here’s the kicker: while Hennessy has proven herself an elite competitor on the uneven terrain, cross country isn’t even her forte. Her bread and butter is the track, particularly in the middle-distance events.
Hennessy missed most of last year’s indoor season due to health-related issues that developed early in the cross-country season. Once she was able to return to competing at a high level—beginning with a seventh-place finish in mid-March at New Balance Nationals—the University of Washington commit has been nothing short of sensational.
As she did last outdoor season, we expect Hennessy to split time between the 1,000m and the mile this winter, perhaps doubling in both events at the championship meets. Given the caliber of cross-country season she had—and an outdoor campaign in 2025 highlighted by a third-place finish and a personal best of 4:34.69 in the mile at New Balance Nationals on June 19—Hennessy is certainly capable of producing a low-2:40 effort this year when pushed. She has the speed endurance – a 2:07.18 best for 800m – and she has the distance base, The bigger question is when and where will it happen? An out-of-state competition during the session? The Meet of Champions? The New Balance Nationals?
Newton South’s Emily Frawley is the top returnee from last year’s Meet of Champions. She finished second to then–graduating senior Lauren Downer of Haverhill, running a personal best of 2:54.09.
Frawley, who competes in soccer during the fall, brings impressive range to the event. She has sub-60-second speed for the 400m, a personal best of 2:10.88 in the 800m, and a 4:59.53 mile. With that versatility, she could certainly factor into the race and has a strong chance to claim her first state title—especially if Hennessy opts to skip this event at the MOC.
You can’t count out Whorton, too. The Lexington standout did run a best of 2:55.88 last year at the Div. 1 championships. She finished third in that race after winning the mile in 4:59.46 earlier in the meet. With fresh legs, she’s a low 2:50 runner.
Another athlete to watch is Wayland’s Mia Rent, who competes for the Emerging Elite Track Club. The talented sophomore did not compete for her school team during last indoor season but ran a handful of races for the Warriors in the spring. If she commits to Wayland’s indoor schedule and the MIAA championship series, she could find herself among the frontrunners. As a ninth-grader, Rent ran a best of 2:53.89 for the 1,000m at the Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic. She also owns personal bests of 2:14 in the 800m and sub-5:00 in the mile.
Other top runners in this event are Lamakina, Wakefield’s Quin Wilcox, Walpole’s lla Zollo, Newton North’s Maggie Abely and Milton’s Grace Danielson, just to name a few.
Mile
Who’s battling for second? The overwhelming favorite in this event is Hennessy. We can’t see anyone beating her or even finishing within 10 or more seconds if she runs an all-out effort. In her shortened indoor season, Hennessy did manage to run the state’s third fastest time ever in the state with a 4:42.72 performance at New Balance. She already holds the outdoor state record based on what she did at New Balance in the spring. We’ confident she’ll add the indoor mark this winter. That record is 4:39.0, held by the great Lynn Jennings in 1978 while starring for the Bromfield School.
Last indoor season, 10 broke five minutes for the eight-lapper and half of that total have since graduated. Among those remaining sub-5 performers are Lexington’s Whorton,Rent, Needham’s Greta Hammer. There’s also the Lions’ Emily Frawley, who clocked 4:59.53 during the outdoor season.
Two Mile
Returning this season is the reigning indoor and outdoor champion with Needham’s Hammer back on the oval. The Rockets senior won last year;s race with a huge PR of 10:21.48. She ran an outdoor best of 10:28.51. Hammer is just a few weeks removed from another strong cross-country season where she took runner-up honors to Hennessy at both the Div.1 meet and the Meet of Champions. We’re expecting another solid campaign for Hammer.
Look for the Flagg sisters, Emily and Abby, to make some noise. The talented siblings finished 1-2 at both the Div. 2 meet and Meet of Champions as well as earning All-American status at the New Balance RunningLane Championships a few weeks ago. Emily ran a best of 10:42.55 to capture the deuce at the New England.s. This will be Abby;s first indoor campaign since the ninth-grade. She has the potential to get in the 10:20 to 10:30 range.
