Moses Brown’s Sophia Gorriaran places fifth in the Pro 800m at the 114th Millrose Games

January 31, 2021

In order to win, you have to risk losing. Moses Brown’s Sophia Gorriaran initially was rejected an entry to the 114th NYRR Millrose Games — an event that included 64 Olympians and three gold medalists from Tokyo last year. But, when Gorriaran ran the fastest high school 800 meters ever in December, which was also just 0.09 seconds off Athing Mu's high school national record, the meet director Ray Flynn was forced to reconsider things.

No one could predict how a high schooler would fare in a field with elites. Gorriaran proved that what she lacks in age, she doesn't lack in spirit or speed in the Jack & Lewis Rudin Women's 800 on Saturday night.

Gorriaran toed the line with a field of pros, including Ajeè Wilson, a six-time Millrose Games champion (the 2020 winner), and Jamaican Olympic finalist Natoya Goule-Toppin, as well as U.S. Olympic 800m alternate Michaela Meyer and another high school standout, Roisin Willis (Stevens Point, Wis.).

When the gun went off, Gorriaran found herself in the back of the pack, out wide in lane two. Gorriaran was playing a game of yo-yo with the field, attempting to move up. At the bell for the final lap, Gorriaran gave it her all from behind. She kicked on the back straightaway and picked it up on the final 50 meters. Wilson won in a time of 2:01.38, earning her 16th consecutive victory at the Armory. Natoya Goule-Toppin came in second with a time of 2:02.14.

Gorriaran held her own and placed fifth in a field of seven, improving upon her season-best with a time of 2:03.66. Gorriaran owns the fastest time for a sophomore high school girl over 800 meters (2:02.26) and while she was shy of breaking Sammy Watson’s 2:01.78 indoor high school record Saturday night, the junior is just getting started this year. It is only January.

Gorriaran is taking the Millrose Games as a learning experience. She was just excited to be there.

“I used to come here with my family when I was younger, so being at this meet is super cool,” says Gorriaran. “I would watch athletes like Ajeė Wilson run and now there’s actually people watching me.”

It’s been almost two years since the last Millrose Games, a NBC nationally televised event, broadcasting the highest level of competition at the youth, high school, collegiate, club, and professional levels. Before the world was taken by COVID, in 2020, the Millrose Games ended with three new American records thanks to Elle Purrier St. Pierre (4:16.85 mile), Donavan Brazier (1:44.22 800m), and Ajee’ Wilson (1:58.29 800m).

As the Jack & Lewis Rudin Women's 800m unfolded on Saturday night, Gorriaran played with the pace and would move up for a few meters and then find herself in the back again.

“But I’m feeling pretty good about it,” she says. Her dad, also her coach, Steve Gorriaran says: “You have to stay hungry. Run the best you can to run. But just have fun. You can’t get too worked up about it.”

Upon reflection, Sophia Gorriaran says: “I want to try to get a better position for my next race since I was in lane two for almost the whole thing. I want to do the same amount of effort but work less.”

She’s in a position to break the national high school record for the 800m (2:01.78, set by Sammy Watson Rush, Henrietta, N.Y., in 2017), before the end of her career, but Gorriaran doesn’t seem obsessed with that.

“You kinda just got to go with the flow.” Gorrarian understands that improving upon your best comes down to how she approaches each day.

Gorrarian will give the 800m another shot next month, running the Last Chance Boston University Invite on Feb. 27. Then, she’ll return to the Armory in a few weeks for high school nationals. While she doesn’t often find herself in the back of the pack, losing makes you more determined. She’s getting faster because of it. 

This 16-year-old RI high school sophomore was the youngest runner at the US Olympic Trials

July 2021

Sophia Gorriaran didn’t react quickly to the sound of the gun and by the 100-meter mark, she was in last place. But she reacted well to the realization that she was in a bad position.

On Thursday night, the 16-year-old Providence native raced in the fifth qualifying heat of the women's 800 meters at the University of Oregon in Eugene alongside some of the fastest runners in the United States. Despite her bad start, she set a sophomore class record, finishing with a 2:02.26 time to break Olympian Mary Decker's 45-year-old 2:02.29 record.

“I don’t think I had a great first lap, Gorriaran said. “I was on the outside of the pack and ran most of it in lane two.”

There was a moment when the field broke, and Gorriaran was confronted with a decision: go with the leaders or fade to the back. She decided that she belonged there beside the nation’s fastest. Instead of getting frazzled by the jostling in the rear, she handled the field with composure, taking care of business.

“I didn't have it at the end,” Gorriaran said. The youngest of all athletes to have earned a ticket to the US Olympic Trials narrowly missed the semifinals, three positions away from advancing to the next round.

“I was hoping to make it to semifinals,” she said. “But maybe next Olympics I’ll be able to make it further.”

The top two runners in each heat and the next six fastest advanced to the semifinals. Then, there are two semifinal heats from which the top three athletes secure their spot in the final. At the end, three women will earn their bid to Tokyo in this event.

Gorriaran finished strong and placed fourth out of eight runners in the fifth and final heat, good enough for 19th overall.

Gorriaran remained levelheaded and calm in her post-race interview. She was cool and detached despite racing with a set of runners that most teenagers can only idolize on TV. 

“It was so professional,” Gorriaran said. “It was nice to have this experience at such a young age.”

Her heat included the silver medalist in the 2019 800 World Championships, Raevyn Rogers, the six-time NCAA champ from Stanford, Olivia Baker, and Rio Olympian Kate Grace. “I didn't talk to too many people,” Gorriaran said. 

Gorriaran has made sacrifices to be at the Trials. “I'd say it's been a really big buildup. I was pretty happy knowing I would be here.”

She’s also a nationally ranked lacrosse player. In addition to standard track workouts, aerobic runs and weight training, her buildup included lacrosse practice and games — an unconventional combination of training that her competitors probably didn’t have in their workouts. She admitted after the race that splitting time between track and lacrosse was different.

“It’s pretty difficult but lacrosse is like a fartlek (periods of fast running intermixed with periods of slower running),” she explained.

Sadly, she missed the Rhode Island High School girls’ lacrosse state championship game last Sunday in order to compete in the Olympic Trials. Moses Brown, led by her sister Natasha, won its sixth straight state title. A senior, Natasha will be playing Division I lacrosse at the University of Pennsylvania next year.

This year, there were only six high school athletes who made the U.S Olympic Trials qualifier in their respective events. Gorriaran, Roisin Willis (of Stevens Point, Wis.) and Juliette Whittaker (Mount De Sales Academy of Catonsville, Md.) were the three high school girls to qualify for these Trials and all athletes happen to have raced in the 800.

“I've gotten close with them. We talk over social media and stuff.”

Gorriaran has received in-person support here from both her parents, Natasha, and brother Max, along with family living in Portland.

After the race, her dad, who is also one of her coaches, celebrated with her. He was much more excited than she was and she seemed a little embarrassed about his celebration.

“I would say I'm satisfied. I was hoping for a better time but maybe next year,” Gorriaran said.

In the meantime, Gorriaran will stay in Eugene for one more week to compete in NSAF’s Outdoor High School Nationals. The week after, she will play lacrosse.

“I focus on them both,” she said.