Mallard, Covington, And Strohman Lead Texans At Brooks PR

William Grundy


Christine Mallard grabbed a win at the Brooks PR Inv.

All Photos by: Jamie Mitchell/MileSplit

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The national championship meets have begun. With is a busy weekend of high school track and field across the country ahead this weekend, yesterday was the start of it all with the Brooks PR Inv.

There were several big time finishes by Texas athletes including three event winners.

Christine Mallard jets 52.12 for win and TX No. 2 A-T

UIL 5A 400m champion and 200m runner-up for the 2022 track and field season Christine Mallard (Mansfield Legacy) won the girls 400m event in a new PR of 52.12. That is not only a personal improvement from her 52.66 previous best, but it also moves her up from TX No.4 to No. 2 on the all-time list of Texas performances.

Hali Murphy (St. Dominic Savio) and Haley Tate (Katy Seven Lakes) also competed in the 400m. Murphy finished seventh overall in 55.06 and Tate was eighth in 56.63.




Jaiya Covington hurdles to redemption and 100H win

Jaiya Covington didn't win the UIL 6A state meet in the 100 meter hurdles; she didn't even qualify this year. That had no effects on the mentality of the star hurdler. The Texas A&M signee won the Brooks PR Inv. with an impressive 13.65 performance.

She got out fast and finished strong to get the win on a level few can compete at, but where the Aldine Eisenhower hurdler knew she belonged.

Fellow Houston area hurdler Rylee Hampton (Cypress Ridge) who was third at the UIL 6A state meet also competed at Brooks and finished fourth in 14.24.



Noah Strohman wins jr. high boys 1-mile

A name most aren't aware of just yet, but soon will is Noah Strohman. Strohman just completed his eighth grade school year at Holliday Middle School. He got his summer started in a hot way by running a 4:23.69 PR in the mile.

Strohman improved on his 4:26.13 that he ran last month at the North Texas 1600m and that enabled him to win the high profile Brooks PR event. The high schooler to be did it by taking the lead after the first quarter-mile and hammering home on the last lap for the win.

Strohman not only had another fellow Texan in the race, but he also had another Strohman family member competing with him. Adrian Rule who will attend San Antonio Christian next year and brother Ryder Strohman both competed and ran extremely well.

Rule got the race off to a great start and a fast pace as he led the first lap and only trailed Strohman in this race. He finished in second place to improve on his 4:36.60 from the Schrader 1600. Ryder ran steady with the pack and finished strong on the last lap. He also improved on his previous personal best 4:43.49 and helped Texas take three of the top four finishes with his fourth place run.



Isabel Conde de Frankenberg runs Texas Mile Record

Isabel Conde de Frankenberg didn't win the race, but she won a Texas state record. The Cedar Park sophomore finished in sixth place overall and just over two seconds behind the meet winner with her 4:38.55 finish.

Frankenberg broke the UIL 5A state meet record last month when she ran a 4:45.95 for the 1,600m distance. Just over a month later and in a slightly longer race, she adds her name once again in the Texas record books. Chelsey Sveinsson (Greenhill School) - 2009 had the previous record of 4:38.61.




Kendrick Smallwood's runner-up finish leads three boys hurdlers

Two-time UIL 5A 110 meter hurdle state champion Kendrick Smallwood didn't get a good start to the race yesterday. That didn't razzle dazzle the experienced hurdler as he was patient and ran his race as he pressed in middle of the race to catch up. 

Over the final three hurdles is where the Mesquite Poteet graduate made the timing of a bad start, patience, and pressing to get back in the race all come together. Smallwood was quick over the last hurdles to get a runner-up finish in 13.79.

Two other UIL state meet hurdle medalists were also competing at Brooks. Richmond George Ranch graduate Shane Gardner finished third with a time of 13.81 and Humble Summer Creek junior Donovan Bradley was fifth in 13.92.




Autumn Wilson finishes runner-up in girls 100m

Two-time TAPPS 100m state champion Autumn Wilson St. (Dominic Savio) finished runner-up in the event at the Brooks PR Inv. It took one of the final race of the season to find a high school sprinter who could beat Wilson. She had been undefeated all season long in the 60m and the 100m as she travelled the country, literally coast to coast to compete.

Clear Brook graduate Camryn Dickson finished fourth with a time of 11.60. The Texas A&M signee didn't qualify for the state meet due to a false start, but did finish runner-up in the 200m.


Other Texas notable finishes at Brooks PR Inv.

Gerard Holmes (Fort Bend Marshall) finished seventh in the boys 100m in 12.35

Darius Rainey (Humble Summer Creek) finished fourth in the boys 400m in 48.03.

Samantha Humphries (Flower Mound) finished fourth in the girls 800m in 2:07.71

Kailey Littlefield (Lucas Lovejoy) finished fifth in the girls 800m in 2:09.05

Chris Riley (Austin McCallum) finished sixth in the boys 1-mile in 4:04.68

Graylen Houston (The Wings Track Club) finished third in the jr. high boys 400m with a time of 51.89.