Makayla Paige
Paige in 2024 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 May 2003 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event | Middle-distance running |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal bests | 800m: 1:58.14 (2026) 1500m: 4:12.03 (2026) Mile: 4:38.31 (2025) |
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Makayla Paige (born 7 May 2003) is an American middle-distance runner. She won the 800 metres at the 2025 NCAA Indoor Championships.[1]
Early and personal life
From Massachusetts, Paige started in athletics at eight years-old and attended Tewksbury Memorial High School. She had success as a junior athlete, named the Gatorade Massachusetts athlete of the year in 2019 and 2020. Studying at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2021, she earned a geological sciences degree before studying for a Master of Applied Professional Studies.[2][3][4][5]
Career
Competing in June 2024 in Eugene, Oregon, Paige finished 14th overall in the 800 metres at the 2024 NCAA outdoor Championships. The following year, Paige won the 800 metres at the 2025 NCAA Indoor Championships. Later that year, she lowered the UNC record in the event for a third time in the season with a third place finish and a sub-two-minute time 1:59.73 at the NCAA regionals in Jacksonville.[6] In June, Paige ran the fifth-fastest time in NCAA history and lowered North Carolina’s program record for the fourth time in a single season by running a time of 1:58.97 to place second to Roisin Willis at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships.[2]
Paige placed third over 800 metres at the 2026 ACC Indoor Championships behind Juliette Whittaker and Gladys Chepngetich.[7] She was a finalist defending her title at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships, placing seventh overall.[8][9] In April, she was part of a North Carolina quartet alongside Sydney Masciarelli, Delea Martins and Vera Sjoberg that ran a new NCAA distance medley relay record in winning the Penn Relays in 10:36.82.[10] In May, Paige won the 800 meters in a season-best time of 2:00.68 at the ACC Conference final ahead of Clemson's Gladys Chepngetich.[11] Paige was the fastest 800m runner at the NCAA East Regionals in Lexington, Kentucky finishing ahead of Chepngetich in 1:58.98.[12][13] Competing at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships, she placed fourth in the 800 metres final with a personal best time of 1:58.30, moving to seventh on the NCAA all-time list.[14] On 11 July, Paige won the 800 metres with a new personal best 1:58.14 at the Sound Running Sunset Tour.[15] Paige was a finalist over 800 metres at the senior 2026 USA Championships in New York in July.[16]
References
- ↑ "Makayla Paige". World Athletics. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
- 1 2 "Local roundup: Makayla Paige runs to second place at NCAA Championships". Lowellsun.com. 15 June 2025. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
- ↑ "National champion runner also to earn two degrees". unc.edu. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
- ↑ "All-State track: Another record day for Tewksbury's Makayla Paige". bostonherald.com. 23 Feb 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
- ↑ "Makayla Paige Gatorade 2019 - 2020: Player of the Year Girls Track & Field". playeroftheyear.gatorade.com. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
- ↑ McConnell, Brighton (Jun 4, 2025). "UNC Track & Field to Send 7 Athletes to NCAA Outdoor Championships". Chapelboro.com. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
- ↑ Gault, Jonathan (March 11, 2026). "2026 NCAA indoor women's preview: Hedengren, Whittaker, Lemngole, & a loaded mile". Lets Run. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
- ↑ Jampol, Noah (March 14, 2026). "2026 NCAA indoor women: Jane Hedengren completes sweep, Wilma Nielsen repeats". Lets Run. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
- ↑ "Arkansas & Georgia Claim The 2026 NCAA D1 Indoor National Team T&F Titles". Flo Track. 15 March 2026. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
- ↑ "BIRNBAUM ANCHORS OREGON TO PENN DMR VICTORY; UNC WOMEN BREAK COLLEGIATE RECORD". Dyestat. 25 April 2026. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
- ↑ "Clemson Women, Virginia Men Win 2026 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships". theacc.com. May 17, 2026. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
- ↑ "NCAA Track And Field Championships 2026 Qualifiers". Flotrack. 2 June 2026. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "NCAA EAST: ALIDA VAN DAALEN UNCORKS BIG THROW IN DISCUS TO ADVANCE TO EUGENE". Dyestat. 31 May 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- ↑ "IN FASTEST NCAA WOMEN'S 800 IN HISTORY, SANU JALLOW LEAVES A LASTING STATEMENT". Dye Stat. 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- ↑ "MAKAYLA PAIGE WINS FAST WOMEN'S 800 METERS AT SUNSET TOUR". Dyestat. 12 July 2026. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- ↑ Monti, David (July 25, 2026). "2026 USAs Day 2: Two HSers make US 800m final, Brazier eliminated as Ferguson, Willis lead 800 qualifying". Lets Run. Retrieved 25 July 2026.