Ewert will attempt to eclipse own national high school indoor 3,000-meter race walk record, then seek personal best in 2-mile race

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Beavercreek OH junior Taylor Ewert is attempting to pull off another impressive double, only this time, getting to the first event might be the biggest challenge of all.

With heavy snowfall expected in her home state this weekend, Ewert and her mother, Teri, are traveling nearly seven hours to The Virginia Showcase at Liberty University Indoor Track in Lynchburg.

Ewert is entered Friday in the 3,000-meter race walk, looking to challenge her own national high school indoor record 13 minutes, 45 seconds. She is also scheduled to compete Saturday in the AAU 2-mile race.

“I really wanted to get a race walk time in, so the 2-mile was a little last minute,” Ewert said. “But the running field looks awesome, so I am excited to see where I am at in my training.”

Ewert set the national high school indoor record Jan. 19, 2018 at Goshen College in Indiana, lowering her previous indoor best of 14:37.57 from 2017.

She holds the American U-20 overall 3,000-meter race walk record of 13:31.79, which she accomplished April 28 en route to winning the 5,000-meter outdoor event in 22:38.16 at the Penn Relays.

Ewert’s personal best in the indoor 2-mile is 10:40.37 from last year’s New Balance Nationals Indoor competition, when she finished 11th overall March 11, one day after winning the indoor mile race walk in 6:49.20. Ewert also boasts the national high school indoor record in the mile race walk with her 6:45.68 effort Feb. 3 at the NYRR Millrose Games.

She is scheduled to compete Saturday in the 2-mile against Malibu CA senior Claudia Lane – competing in the first indoor track meet of her career – and Pine Crest FL junior Tsion Yared, also making her indoor debut.

Ewert achieved exceptional doubles twice in the past seven months, first winning the 2,000-meter steeplechase June 16 at New Balance Nationals Outdoor in North Carolina, before she and her family drove to Indiana for her to capture the 10,000-meter race walk title the following morning at the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships.

During cross country season, Ewert won the Ohio Division 1 state title Nov. 10, then placed third the following day at the NXR Midwest Regional in Indiana to qualify for Nike Cross Nationals, where she also finished third. Ewert concluded her cross country season Dec. 8 by placing fourth at Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego.