The final day of the New Balance Nationals proved to be the best for Rhode Island athletes.
The Ocean State had five podium placements on Sunday, including a trio of runner-up finishers inside the New Balance Armory.
Portsmouth's Nikki Merrill nearly stole the show in the 800-meter run, finishing second overall with a personal best of 2 minutes, 7.27 seconds (US #2). Merrill was leading the field going into the final lap before being passed by eventual champion Athing Mu of Trenton (NJ), who was timed in a winning 2:06.59.
The remaining top-six performances came in the weight throw. For the second straight year, Ponaganset's Gianna Rao finished second in the girls' competition with a heave of 57 feet, 6.25 inches. Classical's Cheyenne Figueroa finished fifth (53-8.5) and Barrington's Annika Kelly was sixth (53-6.5) to also earn All-American status.
Lincoln's Garrett Doyle unleashed a best by more than two feet in the boys' weight with a distance of 74-5. Jacob Furland of Classical was seventh overall with a toss of 68-3.25.
Elite Performances (For All 3 Days!)
| Girls (19) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 800m | F 3 2nd | 2:07.27 | Nikki Merrill | Portsmouth High School | |
| 5000m | F 2 15th | 18:04.89 | Eleanor Lawler | South Kingstown High School | |
| SMR | F 5 1st | 4:05.49 | Westerly High School | ||
| DMR | F 1 15th | 12:24.15 | Westerly High School | ||
| WT | F 1 1st | 50-1.25 | Jackie Andrews | Lincoln High School | |
| WT | F 1 2nd | 57-6.25 | Gianna Rao | Ponaganset High School | |
| WT | F 1 4th | 53-8.5 | Cheyenne Figueroa | Classical High School | |
| WT | F 1 5th | 53-5.5 | Annika Kelly | Barrington High School | |
| WT | F 1 6th | 47-10 | Avrie Burns | Hope High School | |
| WT | F 1 7th | 52-1.25 | Joangely Mata | Mount Pleasant High School | |
| WT | F 1 14th | 45-1.5 | Erynn Field | North Kingstown High School | |
| WT | F 1 15th | 44-8.75 | Faith Polando | Barrington High School | |
| WT | F 1 17th | 46-8 | Nicole Valdez | Hope High School | |
| WT | F 1 19th | 46-0.75 | Sydney Polando | Barrington High School | |
| WT | F 1 21st | 45-4.5 | Marissa Henley | Woonsocket High School | |
| WT | F 1 21st | 43-0.5 | Katrina Kurowski | Woonsocket High School | |
| WT | F 1 22nd | 42-11.5 | Anna Orticerio | Smithfield Senior High School | |
| WT | F 1 24th | 42-2.25 | Jianna Peno | Rogers | |
| WT | F 1 25th | 42-0 | Megan Sieben | Portsmouth High School | |
| Boys (14) | |||||
| 800m | F 1 2nd | 1:55.31 | Cebastian Gentil | East Greenwich High School | |
| 2Mile | F 1 16th | 9:15.91 | Max Dimuccio | La Salle Academy | |
| WT | F 1 2nd | 74-5 | Garrett Doyle | Lincoln High School | |
| WT | F 1 5th | 62-4.5 | Kyle Moison | Lincoln High School | |
| WT | F 1 7th | 68-3.25 | Jacob Furland | Classical High School | |
| WT | F 1 8th | 68-3.25 | Kegan Schroeter | Narragansett High School | |
| WT | F 1 11th | 65-5 | Ryan Morel | Bishop Hendricken High School | |
| WT | F 1 12th | 58-10.25 | Matthew Thibaudeau | Lincoln High School | |
| WT | F 1 12th | 64-10.75 | Cole Hooper | Cumberland | |
| WT | F 1 14th | 64-6.5 | Cameron Croce | La Salle Academy | |
| WT | F 1 15th | 63-7.5 | Brian Neal | Rogers | |
| WT | F 1 18th | 62-5 | Evan Grivers | Lincoln High School | |
| WT | F 1 24th | 60-5 | Jide Akinjisola | Bishop Hendricken High School | |
| WT | F 1 32nd | 58-0.5 | Michael Balestra | Lincoln High School | |