Georgia's top high school girls track and field athletes: Meet the state’s best distance runners

By Darren Nichols | Photo by Ben Ennis

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a look at some of the top track and field athletes in Georgia.

We started with the top sprinters in the boys division, then focused on girls sprinters, followed by the best distance runners in the boys division. Now we turn our attention to distance runners on the girls side.

There are hundreds of standout distance runners in Georgia, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive! Tag us on Twitter or Instagram at @SBLiveGA and let us know about other athletes worthy of fans’ attention.

Note: We'll also be posting lists of the state's top hurdlers, jumpers and throwers in the coming weeks. Many athletes excel in multiple events, but we won't do write-ups on the same athlete on multiple lists.

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Oluwatosin Awoleye, Creekside

Awoleye is the fastest freshman in the state in the 800 meters, and her time of 2:17.68 is good for fifth-fastest in the state. She has also shattered Creekside’s 800-meter record by 20 seconds.

Anna Blaich, Decatur

Blaich is turning heads as a freshman, posting great times for her first year of high school track. She has the second-fastest 1,500-meter time in the state at 4:55.27.

Grace Von Biberstein, St. Pius X Catholic

Von Biberstein has already shattered her previous best time from last season in the 3,200 meters. She is finding her stride in her junior season, as she holds the second-fastest 3,200 time in the state at 10:53.42.

Shari Brown, Landmark Christian

Brown has jumped onto the scene in her freshman season and has a top-10 800-meter time at 2:19.47, which is second all-time at Landmark.

Kenyah Conner, Woodward Academy

Conner was a second away from taking home gold in last year’s 800 meters in the 5A state championships. She will be hunting for gold this year in her sophomore campaign.

Charlotte Dunn, Pope

Dunn burst onto the scene March 28 at the Cobb County championship meet. The junior ran a PR in the 800 (2:15.44) and 1,600 (5:01.04), giving her the top 800 time and third-fastest 1,600 time in the state this season.

Isis Grant, Sandy Creek

Grant is a part of a dynamic 800-meter duo at Sandy Creek. She came in second place in the 3A state championships last season and is in competition with her running mate, Gabriella Grissom, for first this year.

Johna Grisik, Marist

Grisik holds the second-fastest 800-meter time in the state at 2:15.98 and is top 10 in the 1,600 at 5:13.12.

Caroline Hood, Pace Academy

Hood has a comfortable lead for the No. 1 time in the state in the 1,500 meters at 4:49.55. The sophomore is only going to keep improving this year.

Cara Joyce, Atlanta International

Joyce is having a great senior campaign, with the third-fastest time in the 800 this season, and she hasn’t even hit her PR. Her PR is 2:12 from last season, which would be good enough for first in the state.

Meg Lance, Etowah

Lance won silver in last season's 800 meters in the 7A state championships. She didn’t hit her PR until late in the season, so watch out for a late push.

Katherine Law, Jefferson

Law is starting to break out in her senior season. She recently ran her PR in the 3,200 at 11:01.12, which is good enough for fifth-fastest in the state.

Ruby Little, Marist

Little’s time of 5:04.02 in the 1,600 is good enough for fourth-fastest in the state, and she is only a sophomore. She also has the fourth-fastest 3,200 time at 10:58.31.

Samantha McGarity, Harrison

Just like Dunn, McGarity starred March 28 at the Cobb County championship meet. The sophomore ran the fastest 1,600 in the state this season (4:58.35) and seventh-fastest 3,200 (11:03.81).

Nina Ouellette, Riverwood International

Ouellette came in third in last season's 800 meters in the 3A state championships by .09 seconds. With her competition off to college, Ouellette is a good prediction to take home this year’s gold.

Lexi Pavese, Cherokee

Pavese was a superstar last season as a sophomore, breaking Cherokee’s records in the 1,600 and 3,200. She finished top five in both events at the 7A state championships.

Hannah Schemmel, St. Pius X Catholic

Schemmel took home gold as a sophomore in last year’s 3,200 in the 5A state championships. She will look to repeat in 5A against a talented field.

Claire Shelton, Dunwoody

The sophomore is turning heads in her second year on the track. She is second in the state in the 1,600 at 5:00.21, and her 2:18.93 in the 800 is good for seventh.

Ashley Thompson, Gainesville

Thompson is the reigning 3,200-meter champ in Class 7A. She broke Gainesville’s records in the 1,600 and 3,200 and is looking to add more records this year.

Palmer Walstad, Westminster

Walstad won the 1,600 and 3,200 in last year’s 3A state championships as a sophomore. She is poised to add to her trophy case in her junior campaign.