Abby Hennessy was born 30 years after former Bromfield star Lynn Jennings – a future Olympic medalist and two-time World Cross Country champion – left her mark on the national high school scene. In the late 1970s, Jennings, a multiple all-stater and winner of the Kinney National Cross Country Championships (now the Brooks XC Championships), set numerous records throughout her prep career.
Hennessy never saw Jennings compete firsthand, but she is certainly following a similar path.
At the MIAA Meet of Champions this past Saturday, Westford Academy’s standout senior took down a record by Jennings that had stood for nearly 50 years with a dominating win in the mile. In a race she quickly turned into a solo effort, Hennessy annihilated the meet record with a nation-leading 4:37.46, eclipsing the 1979 mark of 4:39.0 by the Bromfield alum, set at the prestigious Millrose Games.
Whitinsville Christian’s Abby Flagg was a distant second in 4:59.29, just ahead of Wakefield’s Quin Wilcox, who took bronze in 4:59.52.
“I am really surprised with how fast I was able to run alone,” she said. “I am happy with the results.”
It has been a season full of highlights for Hennessy. Her latest win came just a week after setting a nation-best 9:02.77 for 3,000 meters at the BU David Hemery Valentine Invitational. With momentum clearly on her side, she’s now looking forward to the New Balance Nationals (March 12-15), where she will be among the favorites for the individual title.
“I am really excited for nationals, and I’m just excited for these next two weeks,” she said. “I’m going to put my head down and train and get some quality workouts in before the meet to build my confidence even more.”
While Hennessy was rewriting the record books in the mile, Sharon’s Nina Kyei-Aboagye was making her own mark in the sprint events.
Getting mentally prepared before a big competition like the Meet of Champions is half the battle for the top athletes who qualify for the season-ending showdown. For Kyei-Aboagye, that preparation comes down to trust – trusting her ability and refusing to worry about the competition. As she puts it, “Envision your best race and tell yourself you’re going to come out here on top.”
That mindset has paid off in a big way.
After capturing the 55m title at last winter’s Meet of Champions, Kyei-Aboagye carried that momentum into the spring, sweeping the sprint events and setting a state record in the 200m. Facing the Bay State’s best once again on Saturday, the Sharon standout delivered another signature performance.
Competing at the TRACK at New Balance, Kyei-Aboagye left with two gold medals draped around her neck, courtesy of an electrifying sweep of the 55m and 300m.
She didn’t just win the 55m — the Warrior speedster dominated, storming to a new state record of 6.82 seconds. She shattered her previous best of 6.98 from the Division 2 Championships a week earlier and broke the 10-year-old mark of 6.87 set by Norton alum Brooke-Lynn Williams. Tantasqua’s Keoni Savoie finished second in 7.10.
The final unfolded differently than many anticipated. The No. 2 and No. 3 seeds — Methuen’s Lauren Quarm and Malden freshman Khadijah Diagne — did not factor into the race. Quarm did not finish, while Diagne was disqualified for a false start. Diagne, who entered as the top seed in the 300m, was later disqualified in that event as well.
“Today I had a big goal for myself that I was going to go 6.8,” said Kyei-Aboagye, whose winning time ties for No. 4 nationally. “I knew I was coming against some fierce competition. Running against Laura, I’m always able to PR. She’s great competition. Deane, great competition. I knew I was going to have to run my best race. I knew I had to have a great start. I’ve been working on my start all season. I just had to feel myself ahead and fire through.”
Less than two hours later, Kyei-Aboagye was back on the track in the 300m. She held off Natick’s Chloe Elder down the stretch to win in a meet-record 38.33, just ahead of Elder’s 38.67. Both PR performances surpassed the previous meet record of 39.04, set in 2014 by Hingham standout Sierra Irwin.
The state-record streak continued in the girls’ 55m hurdles, where defending champion Emmanuella Edozien of Natick broke her own mark with a dominating 7.92. Her time shaved .02 seconds off the record she set just a month earlier at The Nor’Easter on the Track.
Central Catholic’s Arianna DiPietro grabbed runner-up honors with a PR of 8.28, while Dedham’s Amaria Montaque finished third in 8.36.
Edozien was coming off her second straight victory at the Division I Championship where she was timed in 7.96.
“I was happy I was able to have a better weekend,” she said. “Last weekend wasn’t really what I was looking for. I perfected my start in practice, so I’m happy I was able to translate it into the race today. Everything paid off.”
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In other action:
Newton North’s Penny Blumenthal captured the 600m. The senior surged to a nearly three-second lead after two laps and cruised to victory in 1:33.51, tying her for No. 13 nationally. Blumenthal also ran a leg on the winning 4x400m relay, which was timed in 1:44.79.
“I am super excited,” she said. “Chloe Elder dropped out at the last second. It’s really fun running with her. We push each other very well. I was sad about that but also happy that I could push myself a little more.”
In a race decided by inches, Newton South’s Emily Frawley edged Holliston freshman Lucy Downin at the line, with both timed in 2:54.38. Concord-Carlisle’s Pelin Turner was third in 2:57.13.
“With 400 meters to go, I really tried to push myself away,” Frawley said. “Lucy went with me, but I wasn’t quite sure how close she was until the final straightaway. It was great, though.”
Whitinsville Christian’s Emily Flagg was a wire-to-wire winner in the two mile, clocking 10:36.92 with consistent 40-second laps.
Milton’s Ella Turner matched her PR of 5 feet, 6 inches to win the high jump. Lincoln-Sudbury’s Aluel Mayen was second at 5-4, while Carver’s Emma Wall cleared 5-2 to secure third on fewer misses among seven others at the height.
“I felt pretty strong today,” Turner said. “I was really close to 5-7 at times. I’m really looking forward to my next competition.”
Westford Academy freshman Kaitlyn Boakye-Yiadom won a tight long jump competition with a PR of 18-2¼. It was her second straight 18-foot performance. Less than six inches separated the top five finishers. Masconomet’s Mara Slewko was second at 18-0.
Melrose’s Emeline Boyer was a winner in the shot at 40-5.5. In the weight, nation-leader Ainsley Cutherbertson of Lexington was victorious with a toss of 54-10.
(Above photos courtesy of Byron Flagg)
