High School Stars Are Ready to Shine Bright at Hayward Field on April 21-22

EUGENE, Ore. - The 2023 Oregon Relays presented by AthleticNET are almost here. With some of the nation’s top high school track and field talent ready to compete at Hayward Field, here are some of the big names to know heading into the April 21-22 showcase in Eugene.

Mia Brahe-Pedersen (Jr., Lake Oswego, OR): It’s been a fantastic junior campaign for Brahe-Pedersen already. After winning the 60m and 200m events at Nike Indoor Nationals, outdoors Brahe-Pedersen currently ranks US#1 in the 100m and US#2 in the 200m (top wind-legal time). The junior is back at the Oregon Relays after having won the 100m and 200m in 2022, as well as leading her Lake Oswego 4x100m and 4x200m relay squads to victory.

Aaron Sahlman (Sr., Newbury Park, CA): Sahlman, who will be competing unattached at the Oregon Relays, is entered in the pro men’s mile on Saturday night and going after a sub-4 minute mile. The Nike Cross Nationals champion recently won the 800m at the Arcadia Invitational in a US#1 time of 1:49.07, after running 1:50 two other times prior. Sahlman ran an eye-opening 4:01.34 in the mile at the Brooks PR Invitational last year and ran an indoor mile best of 4:06.69 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix back in February.

Bethany Michalak (Jr., Air Academy CO): Michalak is set to guide her Air Academy team in the girls DMR on Friday. She’s then set to come back on Saturday and compete in the mile. Michalak led Air Academy to a seventh place finish at Nike Cross Nationals last fall, while finishing third place individually. She most recently placed sixth in the 3200m at the Arcadia Invitational in 9:57.86.

Tyrone Gorze (Sr., Crater, OR): Gorze, who finished third at Nike Cross Nationals and led his team to a fourth-place finish, returns to the Oregon Relays in 2023 seeking to break Steve Prefontaine’s legendary Oregon state 2-mile record of 8:41.5 set in 1969. Gorze is having a strong 2023 campaign, having won the 5,000m title at New Balance Nationals Indoor in 13:56.82, as well as run a U#3 mark of 3:49.70 in the 1500m last weekend. He is also leading the charge for a Crater team looking to run a fast DMR.

Gatlin Bair (Jr., Burley, ID): Only a junior, Bair won an incredible 100m final at the Texas Relays earlier this month, winning in 10.25 seconds after a stunning 10.18w in the prelims. Bair, who is also a top football recruit, hasn’t lost an individual sprint race for the past two seasons and looks to continue his winning ways in both the 100m and 200m events at the Oregon Relays.

Jordan Washington (Jr., Jordan, CA): Bair’s biggest challenger in the boys 100m and 200m events will come from Washington. As a sophomore, Washington ran 10.31 in the 100m and 20.93 in the 200m, while earning a runner-up finish in the 100m and a fourth-place finish in the 200m at the CIF State Track and Field Championships. Washington heads to Eugene looking to break both PRs, as well as help his school’s relay squads push for victory.

Kaylin Edwards (So., Wilson Long Beach, CA): The sophomore hurdle standout is entered in both the 100m hurdles and 300m hurdles at the Oregon Relays and will no doubt help her squad’s relay teams, too. Edwards enters with the top marks in both hurdle events, owning PRs of 14.48 in the 100m hurdles and 43.16 in the 300m hurdles, in the latter event earning a fourth place finish at the CIF State Track and Field Championships last spring.

Kyeese Hollands (Sr., Central Catholic, OR): The Texas Tech-bound senior is entered in the discus and javelin at the Oregon Relays and is looking for some big marks. Hollands currently ranks US#2 in the javelin after throwing a runner-up mark of 153-3 at the Texas Relays. She’s coming off a 2022 season in which she placed third in the javelin and sixth in the discus at Nike Outdoor Nationals.

Brayden Platt (Jr., Yelm, WA): Last year, as only a sophomore, Platt finished second in the javelin and seventh in the shot put at Nike Outdoor Nationals. The incredibly talented thrower is entered in the shot put, javelin and discus at the Oregon Relays and will face very strong fields in all three contests.

Ella McRitchie (Jr., Bainbridge, WA): Only a junior, McRitchie is soaring over big heights in the pole vault this season. After nearly eclipsing the 14-foot barrier during the indoor season - she vaulted 13-11 and 13-11.25 - McRitchie placed third at the Texas Relays with a US#4 outdoor mark of 13-9.25. She’s eyeing an even higher finish at Hayward Field.

Additional top entries in the high school races, as well as entries in the Pro Challenge fields, will be announced in the coming days after registration officially closes on Sunday, April 16 at 11 pm PT on AthleticNET.

Fans can now purchase tickets to watch all of the amazing action at the Oregon Relays in-person at the University of Oregon Ticketmaster website or watch live only on www.oregonrelays.com.

To learn more and follow all of the big news of the 2023 Oregon Relays, visit www.oregonrelays.com. 

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