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The Mizzou High School Distance & Sprint Elite returns on Friday, February 6, 2026, for its second edition, and the meet is already shaping up to be a strong regional showcase as athletes from Arkansas and surrounding states venture east to Columbia, Missouri.
Hosted inside the newly renovated Hearnes Center Fieldhouse, the meet continues to grow in stature, blending high-end sprint talent with deep middle- and long-distance fields. With a fast, banked Mondo surface and a schedule designed to encourage quality racing, the event offers a prime opportunity for athletes to test early-season fitness in a controlled, competitive environment.
60M
Boys Key Entries
Ethan King
Zane Johnson
On the boys' sprint side, Arkansas speed will be well represented in the 60 meters, led by Ethan King of D1 Tempo Run Club, who enters with a 6.96 seed time. King has shown the ability to compete in fast, technical straightaways and will look to challenge the front of the field. Teammate Zane Johnson is also entered with a 7.14 seed, giving D1 Tempo a strong one-two presence in the event. With the Hearnes Center's tight turns and fast straightaway, the boys' 60m is set up to be one of the most exciting races of the night.
800m
Girls Key Entries
Helen Hesselgren
Savannah Fisher
The girls' middle-distance events are headlined by Helen Hesselgren of Power Up Track Club and Fayetteville High School, who arrives as one of Arkansas' most reliable performers. In the 800 meters, Hesselgren owns a 2:15.11 seed, with recent indoor marks of 2:18.97 and 2:19.76, and an outdoor resume that includes a 2:16.62 at adidas Track Nationals.
She also brings versatility to the meet, entering as the top seed in the girls' 400 meters at 57.37, making her one of the few athletes capable of making an impact across multiple events. Fellow Arkansan Savannah Fisher of Cabot adds depth to the 800, entering with a 2:20.43 seed and a growing list of competitive performances as a sophomore.
Boys Key Entries
Brian Burns
Matthew Thurman
Reese Fisher
Logan Hurley
On the boys' 800-meter side, Arkansas talent anchors the field. Brian Burns, a Bentonville senior and former Missouri state champion, enters as the top seed at 1:49.13, a time that places him among the nation's elite. Burns was the Arkansas 6A runner-up last season and owns national-level experience, including an 8th-place finish at New Balance Nationals Outdoor.
He'll face strong in-state competition from Matthew Thurman (Shiloh Christian), who brings a 1:52.60 seed and a 4A state title, along with Reese Fisher (Cabot), a 1:52.90 performer and RunningLane Track Championships winner. Logan Hurley of Bentonville rounds out a deep Arkansas contingent in the event, ensuring the race will be both fast and tactical.
Mile
Girls Key Entries
Anna Scudder
Elizabeth Scudder
Flannery O'Daniel
Madysen Hantuba
The girls' mile stands out as a marquee event thanks to a deep Arkansas presence led by the Scudder sisters of Rogers High School. Anna Scudder, the top seed at 4:52.01, brings national-level credentials, including a 4:50.37 outdoor PR, a runner-up finish at the 6A state meet, and prior experience racing at Mizzou. She is joined by Elizabeth Scudder (5:01.10 seed, 4:59.56 PR) and Katherine Scudder (5:02.00 seed), creating a rare scenario where three siblings line up in the same elite mile field. Katherine adds valuable experience from this meet a year ago, where she ran 5:09.66, and has since progressed with a 5:00.31 outdoor PR and solid indoor strength demonstrated by a 10:29.61 3000m earlier this season.
Adding to the depth are Madysen Hantuba (5:08.63 seed), a Bentonville junior with consistent state-level performances, and freshman standout Flannery O'Daniel (5:05.90 seed), who already owns national meet experience after racing at New Balance Nationals Outdoor.
Boys Key Entries
Sean Burns
Braden Palmer
Harper Huckabee
Alan Gallardo-Lopez
On the boys' mile side, Arkansas talent again features prominently. Sean Burns, a Bentonville sophomore, enters as the top Arkansas seed at 4:16.50, improving significantly from his 4:26.57 performance at this meet last year. Burns has already shown strong early indoor form with a 4:21.43 mile and 2:01.15 800m this season.
He'll be challenged by Braden Palmer of Fort Smith Southside, who brings a 4:19.65 indoor mile, an 8:52.01 indoor 3000m win, and extensive championship experience across multiple distances. Harper Huckabee (4:20.21 seed) adds another dimension after running 1:59.01 for 800m indoors, while Alan Gallardo-Lopez of Fayetteville, though yet to race this winter, enters with proven credentials, including a 4:18.12 indoor mile and 9:15.29 outdoor 3200m PR.
2-Mile
Girls Key Entries
Lilly Beshears
Hadassah Beshears
Samantha Schmersahl
Boys Key Entries
Miles Rush
Jackson Free
The longer distances are equally compelling. In the girls' 2-mile, Lilly Beshears headlines the field with a 10:03.57 seed and a resume that includes a 6A state title and national-level experience. She'll be joined by Hadassah Beshears and Samantha Schmersahl, both bringing cross-country pedigree and strength over longer efforts.
On the boys' side, Miles Rush (9:05.89 seed) and Jackson Free (9:13.00 seed) lead the Arkansas charge in the 2-mile and 3000m events. Free, a University of Arkansas commit, has already proven himself indoors with a 9:15.35 at New Balance Nationals Indoor and continues to show range with a 4:23.81 mile earlier this season.
Taken together, the expanded Arkansas contingent reinforces what the Mizzou HS Distance & Sprint Elite is becoming: a regional proving ground where top athletes from neighboring states can clash early in the indoor season. With a fast facility, added events, and fields loaded with state champions, national qualifiers, and rising underclassmen, Friday night in Columbia promises high-quality racing and a glimpse of what's to come as the 2026 season unfolds.
