Mia Brahe-Pedersen, fresh off of setting a new 100-meter record at the Nike Portland Jesuit Twilight Relays with an 11.07 run, has crushed even more competition by recently winning a 100-meter mixed-gender race.
The 17-year-old star in the making from Lake Oswego High School in Oregon is the fastest female runner in the state in 100 and 200 meters. Her personal best time of 11 seconds in the 100 meters makes her the third-fastest U.S. high school female of all time—the boys never had a chance. Among her competition in the race? Brahe-Pedersen’s prom date, Ethan, who she said has been a gracious runner-up. She recently posted a video of the triumph to her TikTok page, garnering support and praise from women as well as challenges from many more men.
“I’ll take whatever competition I can get,” she told KGW8. “I don’t care if they’re boys or girls or whatever. I really don’t care. If I can get to my goals while racing you, I will do it, and I’m appreciative that you want to be in a race against me.”
John Parks, Brahe-Pedersen's coach, has plenty of experience coaching runners at the highest level. Upon seeing her, he knew Brahe-Pedersen possessed the potential to become an Olympian.
“She’s better than the top American collegiate in the 100,” Parks told KGW8. “Taking down Marion Jones 100 record, Allyson Felix record indoors, Sonya Richards Ross.” Parks knows a thing or two about what it takes to be an Olympic runner; he’s worked with talented runners Fun Half Marathons to Run in 2024.
&Master the Half interview with RunnerSpace. "I want to see her destroy every record possible. Everything I've learned in my career I can put into her, from avoiding injuries, being in a good mental space, things I wished I would have known."
The next record for Brahe-Pedersen to shatter? A sub-11 time. Parks thinks she has what it takes to get there.
"She's so driven and as tough as a competitor as I've ever seen. She works harder and is more dedicated. She's the coach's dream."
Laura Ratliff is a New York City-based writer, editor, and runner. Laura's writing expertise spans numerous topics, ranging from travel and food and drink to reported pieces covering political and human rights issues. She has previously worked at Architectural Digest, Bloomberg News, and Fun Half Marathons Best Folding Treadmills TripSavvy. Like many of us, Laura was bitten by the running bug later in life, after years of claiming to "hate running." Her favorite marathon is Big Sur.
