Edwards, an adidas professional athlete, attempting to join Henes and Smith as the only female competitors in meet history to win the elite 3,000 and mile races in the same day at JDL Fast Track; Veatch pursuing same potential sweep in men’s events against meet veteran Lopez Segura

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Kaela Edwards is no stranger to pursuing a challenging double if the schedule allows, but her quest to join the most prestigious list connected with the history of the Camel City Elite schedule is among the most impressive storylines for Saturday’s event at JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The Camel City Invitational runs Friday and Saturday at JDL Fast Track, with the marquee window of eight races – including middle school boys and girls miles – expected to begin at 2 p.m. EST Saturday.

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Edwards is looking to join fellow adidas professional Elly Henes and HOKA competitor Rachel Smith as just the third female athlete in meet history to triumph in both the women’s 3,000 meters and mile less than an hour apart.

Smith, then competing as Rachel Schneider and representing Under Armour, was the first to achieve the feat in 2018 with her 9:02.64 and 4:31.74 double. She swept both races again in 2021 by clocking 8:57.01 and 4:30.54.

Henes became the second competitor to emerge victorious in both races in 2022, running 8:57.83 and 4:38.66.

Edwards is trying to make quite an impact in her first experience at the Camel City Elite event.

“It won’t be an easy double and the athletes competing are accomplished, but I do feel confident,” Edwards said. “Past performances set the bar high. It will be interesting to see what happens and how my body responds to a big day of racing.”

Edwards opened her indoor season last year at the University of Washington Preview meet at the Dempsey facility, winning the mile in 4:32.83 and the 600 meters in 1:27.92 on the same day. She also competed in both the outdoor 800 and 1,500 in 2020 at the Ed Murphey Classic in Memphis, Tenn.

But the elite 3,000 followed by the mile Saturday, with approximately 50 minutes rest in between, presents Edwards with a far more significant challenge at JDL Fast Track.

“Racing the 3,000 and then bouncing back for the mile will be a test of strength coming off of fall base training,” Edwards said. “Indoors is always a good time to check in after months of no racing at all.”

Edwards finished third in the 800 meters last year at both the USATF Indoor and Outdoor Championships, clocking 2:00.52 in each final.

But Edwards wanted a more meaningful challenge to open the indoor season this year than simply returning to her marquee event that allowed her to represent the U.S. in August at the World Athletics Championships in Hungary.

“Back in August 2020. I found it hard to switch gears mentally from the 800 to the 1500. It will be a good change in routine starting out with longer distances,” Edwards said. “Training as a whole is the biggest preparation. I have been able to work a lot harder this fall. Since my diagnosis of Graves Disease, I was playing catchup during the last two base seasons.”

Emily Richards will be a familiar face Saturday for Edwards, with the Atalanta NYC athlete scheduled to pace the 3,000, before competing in the mile.

Fellow adidas professional Taryn Rawlings is also entered in the 3,000, with current North Carolina State competitors Mariah Howlett, Gionna Quarzo and Sydney Seymour also expected to compete, along with former Wolfpack standout and Tinman Elite athlete Savannah Shaw.

Joining Edwards and Richards in the women’s mile is New Balance professional athlete Abbey Cooper, Abbe Goldstein from Under Armour Baltimore Distance, as well as Furman teammates Kaylie Armitage and Megan Marvin, with British competitor and Atlanta Track Club Elite competitor Hannah Segrave expected to pace.

North Carolina State freshmen Angelina Napoleon and Kate Putman are scheduled to compete in the women’s 800 meters, in addition to Erskine assistant coach and Spanish athlete Alicia Recio, plus Emory senior Libby Ranocha.

The men’s 3,000 is highlighted by a potential showdown involving Tinman Elite athlete and former Virginia Tech standout Antonio Lopez Segura squaring off against Indiana graduate and Under Armour Dark Sky distance competitor Ben Veatch, who is also attempting the difficult double by racing the mile as well.

Lopez Segura was third in the 3,000 at Camel City in 2022, before earning eighth last year.

Furman is expected to be represented by Cameron Ponder and Dylan Schubert, with North Carolina State’s Ian Harrison also part of the field, as well as Jason Bowers of East Tennessee State.

Craig Nowak is the expected pacer for the men’s 3,000 event.

Thomas Vanoppen, a former Wake Forest standout representing Belgium, is part of the men’s mile field, in addition to Under Armour Dark Sky Distance teammates Jack Anstey of Australia and Veatch, as well as American competitor Abraham Alvarado.

North Carolina State teammates Miles Ally, Travis Koekemoer, Wesley Larson and Jake Toomey are also entered in the mile, plus Athens Drive High senior Noah Valyo, who won the mile race Jan. 13 at the Virginia Showcase. CJ Jones from Under Armour Mission Run is the scheduled pacer for the mile, as well as the men’s 800.

Emory teammates Dawit Dean and Chris Belz, in addition to the Anderson of South Carolina tandem of Elliot Dotson and Adam Trusty, plus Claflin’s Zion Murray and UNC Pembroke’s Delsin Burkhart make up in the men’s 800 field, which will crown its first collegiate winner since Finley McLear from Miami (Ohio) prevailed in 2021.