Dylan Hosty is now faster than the Olympian she’s coached by.
In one of the greatest performances ever by a South Jersey runner, Hosty on Sunday destroyed Erin Donohue’s South Jersey – and school – mile record at the Brooks P.R. Invitational in Renton, Wash.
Hosty ran 4:42.21 and broke Donohue’s South Jersey mile record of 4:42.96 set 25 years ago this month at North Carolina’s Paul Derr Track at Raleigh Nationals.
Her time is 5th-fastest in state history and fastest ever by a freshman. Four days after setting a state freshman 800 record of 2:06.04 at the Meet of Champions at Pennsauken, she broke the New Jersey freshman record of 4:47.04 set by Sparta’s Claudia DiSomma in a meet at Icahn Stadium in New York in June 2013.
The only runners in New Jersey track history to run faster than Hosty are Paige Sheppard [4:33.67 last June at West Philly Nationals], Southern Regional’s Danielle Tauro [4:39.25 at 2006 Greensboro Nationals], Blair Bartlett of the Lawrenceville School [4:39.63 last June in St. Louis] and Sophia Thompson [4:41.84 last June at West Philly Nationals].
Hosty lowered her mile PR from 4:49.48 at the Penn Relays in April. She ran a faster equivalent for 1,600 meters with a 4:47.58 at the state Group 2 meet at Northern Burlington last month.
Despite a first lap of 72.80, Hosty was in 9th and last place 400 meters in. She was still in 8th after coming through 800 meters in 2:24.73. But she moved into 4th with a 71.89 3rd lap and closed in 65.60 for a final 800 of 2:17.49, finishing 5th overall.
Hosty is the only South Jersey freshman who ran 2:17.49 for 800 meters this year.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 