Track: Annie Hill wins Nike Elite mile

EUGENE, Ore. — Glacier distance runner Annie Hill collected another trophy this weekend, winning the girls exhibition mile run at the Nike Elite Camp at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials at historic Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon.

Hill took the lead on the backstretch of the third lap, pulling away to win by a second in 4:44.16. Julia Heymach of Houston finished second in 4:45.14.

“It’s a real confidence booster for me,” Hill told DyeStat.com after the race.

“It’s been two weeks since Brooks (PR Invitational) and I haven’t really done a speed workout in a month and a half, or so. It’s really awesome to see that all my hard work kind of stays there and I can consistently run good times.

“Every time I come to a big meet it makes it so much easier to know I’ve done it before. I’ve competed with these people and I can do well.”

It is the second major meet she’s won this summer in the distance, also taking the mile championship at the Brooks PR Invitational last month in Renton, Washington, where she set the fastest time in the nation this season. Her time in Oregon is the fifth fastest.

The Nike Elite Camp hosted 10 of the fastest girls distance runners in the country and a total of 36 track stars to run the mile and 400-meter dash.

Hill is a two-time Class AA cross country champion and won the 3,200-meter state championship in track in 2015.