LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jessie Secor is closing out her terrific running career at duPont Manual High School with some of her best results.
On Wednesday night, she ran the state's best time in the 800 at the Meet of Champions at Male High School. And earlier this month, she ran one of the best times in the country in the mile.
Secor turned heads with her race to win the Kentucky Dream Mile at St. Xavier High School on May 5th.Â
Manual High School senior Jessie Secor recently set the state record in the Kentucky Dream Mile on May 5, 2023. She's now hoping to lead her team to a state title. (WDRB photo)
"(Coach Tim) Holman had a strategy to give me a pretty good time, definitely a PR," Secor said. "But not that fast."
Secor beat her previous best time by an amazing 12 seconds and set a new state record at 4:44.73. She blew away the top distance runners in the state in the process.Â
"Coach Rutledge was there and he was like 'I want you to do this fast 300 to get your nerves out' and I was like 'I feel fine,'" Secor said. "I was really scared that I wasn't as nervous. When I went up to that line I was more calm than I've ever been."
"She is a very humble athlete," Manual head track and field coach Zacharie Brooks said. "She doesn't like the spotlight but when it's time for her to get on the track and light it up, she's phenomenal."
Among the girls she beat that night was Ciara O'Shea from Madison Central High School, the only girl that she hasn't beaten in the last couple of state meets. But Secor's not going to brag about that.
"It was nice to finally finish in front of her but we support each other and our accomplishments," Secor said. "I feel like every time one of us finishes we always go up and hug each other because we're just proud of each other."
When asked about the upcoming state meet, Secor turns it back to the team.Â
Manual High School senior Jessie Secor recently set the state record in the Kentucky Dream Mile on May 5, 2023. She's now hoping to lead her team to a state title. (WDRB photo)
"I hope we can win as a team again," she said. "That is definitely the first and foremost goal. And then if I can do it as an individual that would be great but just to get as many points for my team is the ultimate goal."
Secor has a 4.2 GPA over her four years at Manual and is trying to lead her team to a third consecutive state titles in a couple of weeks. She'll take that good nature and intellect and running talent to the University of Tennessee in the fall.
A state win would be the third in a row for the Manual girls. The 3A state meet is June 3rd in Lexington.Â
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