Vote below for the Florida boys distance runner of the year by August 7th at 9 PM EST.

Leading off the nominees, Rheinhardt Harrison completed one of the greatest high school careers by a distance runner in Florida history by becoming the first ever to break 4 minutes for the full mile while doing it on Florida soil with a 3:59.33 performance at the Golden South Series. Harrison focused primarily on the 800 meter run this spring with numerous sub 1:50 performances including a FL #2 all-time 1:48.05 season best as well as winning his fifth overall state career titles in cross country and track with his 3rd 1:48 performance of the season. He graduates owning state records in the 1500, 1600, mile, and 3200 while second fastest all-time in the 800 behind only Andres Arroyo. 

Adam Magoulas of Belen Jesuit certainly is a sentimental comeback story pick for distance runner of the year after failing to win an individual state title throughout his time in high school with several setbacks, injuries, and just misfortune despite being part of 6 straight cross country team champion squads. After missing a good portion of the cross country season and first half of outdoor track due to breaking his foot, Magoulas made a triumphant return in time for championship season to grab his first individual title before he graduated high school as the 3A state champion in the 1600 meter run with a 4:13 PR run. 

Miguel Pantojas joined Harrison in the rare and elite company of the sub 1:50 club for the 800 meter run with his 5th place finish of 1:49.90 at the Brooks PR Invitational in the post-season. While he is the only nominee that did not win a state title this spring as a result of being in the same 4A state 800 meter race with Harrison. Pantojas had several notable victories this season though including the Florida Relays (1:52.71) and Music City Track Carnival (1:51.40), while also earning All-American honors at New Balance Nationals Outdoor in 3rd place (1:51.00). Pantojas also ran PR's of 4:16 in the 1600 and 9:31 in 3200 at his new high school at Hagerty after running unattached for his first two years of high school. 

Aidan Ryan took his running to another level as a junior at Bolles and started to see it during the cross country season when he finished as a state runner-up individually in the 2A race leading his squad to the team title. Ryan broke 4:20 in a handful of races at the 1600 or mile distances including finishing off his season with a 4:12.43 full mile performance to win the second fastest heat the RunningLane Track Championships in the post-season just holding off Berkeley Prep's Ethan Lipham in the race much like he did in the 2A state 1600 meter title victory (4:14.53) narrowly over Lipham as well. Ryan also dropped his 800 meter time down to 1:52 and was the only male distance double state champion this spring as he followed up his 1600 meter title in winning the 3200 later in the evening as well. Ryan's 3200 best of 9:10 came in the deep FSU Relays race. 

Hagerty junior Brayden Seymour rounds out our top 5 list of nominees which ended up unfortunately excluding some well deserving athletes to mention such as Lipham, Patrick Koon, Michael Toppi, Nick Carpenter and others. Seymour won his first individual state title this spring in the 4A boys 1600 meter race with a 4:11.76 PR. Seymour was also part of the 5 under sub 9 minutes in the 3200 meter run at the FSU Relays in 4th place at 8:59.72. He was well traveled competing in high profile meets this year in Arizona, California, and New York including qualifying to be invited to the Millrose Games indoors and Arcadia Invitational. Seymour ran 4:11 at either 1600 or mile distance a handful times to showcase himself consistently fast. Seymour also posted a 14:53 5K PR on the track at New Balance Nationals in the post-season and just missing the top 6 All-American honors in seventh place. 

Florida Boys Distance Rankings