American women have accumulated streak of 40 straight years with at least one outdoor sub-2 effort, which Edwards looks to extend competing in final Wanda Diamond League events in Rome and Doha, along with improving her 2018 PR

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Kaela Edwards hasn’t just traveled to Europe in search of her fastest 800-meter time in more than two years, but the adidas athlete is also looking to extend one of the most impressive streaks in U.S. middle-distance history.

And there will be no better setting than Thursday at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Rome, where Edwards will line up against four of the top five outdoor performers in the world this year, looking to eclipse the 2-minute barrier for only the second time in her career.

If she is successful, Edwards will help preserve a legacy that began in 1980 with Madeline Manning Jackson twice running under 1:59 in June – the latter performance in Oregon at the U.S. Olympic Trials – as at least one American female athlete has achieved a sub-2 performance outdoors for 40 consecutive years.

And with all five American competitors who achieved sub-2 outdoor efforts last year – Ajee’ Wilson, Raevyn Rogers, Hanna Green, Kate Grace and Shelby Houlihan – either deciding not to compete this summer or already having completed their abbreviated seasons because of the Coronavirus pandemic, Edwards might be the last significant hope for the U.S. to continue its historic run.

“We’ve been preparing for a while for racing sub-2, so now that the occasion has presented itself and I have a few 800s under my belt, I’m excited to see what I’m capable of,” said Edwards, who ran 2:00.39 and 2:01.12 during an eight-day stretch in August in Tennessee.

“All the work has been put in before all these races and we’ve just been maintaining and freshening up. We were able to get some good tempo work in and race-specific reps in.”

Edwards ran a personal-best 1:59.68 to place fourth at the 2018 U.S. Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. Her 2:00.39 effort Aug. 15 at the Music City Distance Carnival in Nashville was the fastest time for the Oklahoma State graduate since that race.

The 2016 NCAA Division 1 indoor mile champion is seeking a significant drop in the 800 either in Rome or Sept. 25 at the final Diamond League meeting in Doha, Qatar, not only to validate the strong workouts she has put together this summer in Colorado, but also to endorse the coaching of her boyfriend Chad Noelle.

“It is extremely meaningful to have these opportunities for a few reasons,” Edwards said. “Chad has done a great job starting his coaching despite the strange year, so it will be fun to showcase the work we’ve done. Also, getting a good mark and finishing well in these competitions will provide me good momentum for 2021 and hopefully more opportunities like this in the future.”

Chanelle Price has run the fastest outdoor 800 time by an American this year at 2:00.12 from Aug. 21 at Newberg High in Oregon as part of the summer Big Friendly Series, although she was assisted by the pacing of a pair of male athletes.

Cory McGee has the fastest time by a U.S. athlete in a women’s race with her 2:00.16 effort at the first Sunset Tour event Aug. 22 in Southern California.

The last two American athletes to achieve sub-2 outdoor performances were Rogers and Wilson, when they placed second and third at last year’s World Outdoor 800 final in Doha.

Edwards will be hoping the race in Rome will serve as an encore for world leader and Norwegian record holder Hedda Hynne (1:58.10), Switzerland’s Lore Hoffmann (1:58.50) and Scotland’s Jemma Reekie (1:58.63), following their impressive efforts Tuesday at the Gala dei Castelli in Bellinzona. Scotland’s Laura Muir, who trains with Reekie, is also entered and ranks No. 5 in the world this year at 1:58.84.

Great Britain’s Alexandra Bell, Germany’s Christina Hering and Benin’s Noelle Yarigo are also part of the field, all with sub-2 performances in their respective careers.

“It’s amazing some of the majors races have proceeded and taken all the measures to allow athletes to compete,” Edwards said. “I am very much looking forward to the chance to be in such a high-level race with the best women in the world. I am excited to see where I land among them, so I can further establish myself at the highest level in the sport going into the Olympic year.”