Two-time elite mile winner at JDL Fast Track, Fink looks to make more history by becoming first male competitor to win multiple events in 3,000 showdown against Kioko and Lopez Segura; Ciattei seeks mile victory against Lagat, with Holdsworth battling Crisp and Ibadin in 800

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Willy Fink has produced some of the most memorable performances during the past decade in the Camel City Elite races, especially his back-to-back mile victories in 2020 and 2021, the former denying Edward Cheserek the opportunity to become the only athlete in meet history to win an event three consecutive years.

Fink is seeking more history at JDL Fast Track as part of the 11th annual elite schedule that begins at 2:02 p.m. EST at the Camel City Invitational in Winston-Salem, N.C., when he looks to become the first male competitor to win multiple events by entering the Salem Sports 3,000 meters.

LIVE RESULTS | WATCH LIVE WEBCAST OF CAMEL CITY INVITATIONAL FEBRUARY 3-4 WITH RUNNERSPACE +PLUS (Elite schedule Feb. 4)

Fink, representing Under Armour Baltimore Distance, finished fourth in the mile last year in his pursuit of a three-peat. He is seeking a victory at a new distance, which would give Fink three elite wins in his career at Camel City, matching the success of Paul Chelimo, who prevailed in the men’s elite 3,000 in 2017, 2018 and 2020.

“I took a stab at leading and pushing the pace (last year), but was ultimately kicked down by some talented guys,” Fink said last year. “Obviously, I’m a little bummed not to three-peat at JDL Fast Track, but I am going to keep building.”

Rachel Smith and Elly Henes have both doubled in the women’s elite mile and 3,000 meters in the same year at Camel City.

JDL Fast Track is offering $75,000 in prize money for competitors who place in the top eight of the elite races, with $6,000 awarded to winners, $4,000 for second-place finishers, $2,000 to third-place athletes and $1,000 earned by fourth-place performers. Time and record bonuses are also available as well.

Chelimo boasts the facility record of 7:45.49 in the 3,000 and Virginia Tech’s Antonio Lopez Segura returns after taking third last year in 7:49.03, the fastest collegiate performance achieved at JDL Fast Track, as a meet-record 11 competitors produced sub-8 performances last season.

Athanas Kioko, who finished fourth in the 3,000 last season competing for Campbell, is now a Wake Forest assistant coach and is competing unattached, along with former North Carolina All-American Alex Ostberg, with Tim Thacker – a 2021 NAIA indoor mile champion at Milligan and former Tennessee standout – expected to be pacing the race.

Lopez Segura is joined by Virginia Tech teammate Declan Rymer, part of strong group of collegiate entries, including North Carolina State’s David Vorbach, Ian Harrison, Brett Gardner and Ian Shanklin, Pitt’s Luke Henseler, Virginia’s Yasin Sado, Wake Forest’s Luke Tewalt and Charlotte’s Nickolas Scudder.

Furman teammates Dylan Schubert and Carson Williams are also entered.

“I am so excited to finally be a part of the Camel City meet, this is my first time at the facility. It’s been inspiring watching other Furman athletes have incredible performances there, so it means a lot to join them,” Schubert said. “Carson is coming off his first sub-4 mile and is in great form, so I’m really looking forward to joining him in the 3K. Matt Smith has been putting together a great start to the season running 1:48 in the 800m as well. It’s great to be able to race and travel alongside these guys.”

It marks the first race for Schubert since finishing 11th at the NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Championships to earn All-America honors Nov. 19 at Oklahoma State.

“Training over winter break back home went really well. Winter training in Colorado can be a bit of a grind due to weather but I got some really good work in. I’ve been so eager to hit the track following my breakout performances this past fall and know that I can do some great things,” Schubert said. “However, the first week back on campus I had a lower back issue flare up following a workout. It took a couple weeks to get under control, so I had to shift around the racing schedule a bit, I wasn’t planning on opening up this late. I still feel confident with the winter I had, but it was definitely a sting, especially considering how short the indoor season is with limited opportunities.”

Schubert is looking to build confidence at Camel City ahead of competing in the 5,000 meters Feb. 10 at the Husky Classic at the Dempsey Indoor facility in Seattle.

“I want to come off of this race feeling like I got a good bump of fitness and use it as a solid race effort before next week,” Schubert said. “I would be happy with anything under 8 minutes and feeling healthy going into Husky.”

The men’s elite mile could finally showcase a breakthrough for Virginia Tech graduate Vincent Ciattei, who was runner-up last year in 3:57.47 behind Great Britain’s Charlie Grice (3:57.22), in addition to finishing fourth in 2017 and 2020, along with placing fifth in 2018.

Ciattei will square off against former Iowa State standout Festus Lagat, representing Under Armour Mission Run, along with Reebok Boston Track Club’s Robert Heppenstall – a seven-time NCAA Division 1 finalist at Wake Forest – and New Balance Boston’s Sean Peterson, a 12-time Horizon League champion at Youngstown State.

Wake Forest teammates Zach Facioni and Thomas Vanoppen – sixth last season in the elite mile – are also entered, along with Virginia’s Nathan Mountain, North Florida’s Mac Franks and Furman’s Matthew Smith.

Duke’s Nick Dahl, who finished fifth in last year’s elite mile, is competing unattached.

Cheserek holds the facility mile record at 3:53.85 in 2018, leading a meet-record six sub-4 performances, with Texas’ Crayton Carrozza achieving the fastest collegiate mile effort at JDL Fast Track last year by clocking 3:58.96.

CJ Jones, a three-time All-American at Texas Tech, is scheduled to pace both the elite mile and 800 meters, the latter featuring Under Armour Mission Run teammates Vincent Crisp and Edose Ibadin.

Ibadin is a two-time World Championships qualifier for Nigeria, with Crisp a 2019 All-American at Texas Tech.

Derek Holdsworth of Bell Lap Elite, a National Junior College Athletic Association champion in the 800, 1,000, 1,500 meters and mile at Trinidad State before concluding his collegiate career at Western Oregon, is another professional athlete in the elite field.

Virginia Tech teammates Nick Plant and Arlo Ludewick are also entered, along with Wake Forest’s Rynard Swanepoel, Charlotte’s Zach Beale and reigning NAIA Indoor 600-meter champion Dylan Felger of Huntington.

Finley McLear of Miami (Ohio) remains the only male collegiate competitor in meet history to win an elite race, with his 800 victory in 2021.

Clayton Murphy established the facility record of 1:45.92 in 2019, leading a record five sub-1:50 performances that year. Eliud Rutto of Middle Tennessee State still boasts the fastest collegiate 800 effort at JDL Fast Track by clocking 1:48.94 in 2017.