CUTHBERTSON COMES THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH TO EARN BRONZE AT NATIONALS
Meet Information
Nike Indoor Nationals
March 12, 2026
The Nike Track & Field Center at The Armory - New York, NY
RESULTS
NEW YORK, NY - As a member of the Nike Elite Program, which sponsors 20 of the nation's top high school athletes each year, Lexington's Ainsley Cuthbertson was given the opportunity to compete at the Nike Indoor Nationals in the weight throw. The LHS senior entered the day as the #1 ranked thrower in the US, but went up against the next five best girls in the country on Thursday. With a field that talented, Cuthbertson had her hands full in what turned out to be a dramatic competition at The Armory.
Cuthbertson opened up with a conservative throw of 15.63m (51'3.50") that put her in fifth place overall. Shortly thereafter, Kimberly Beard from King's (WA) sent the 20lb weight rocketing out into the sector. That throw not only overtook Cuthbertson's US #1 mark, as it was measured at 18.10m (59'4.75"), but sent her down to sixth place after the second round. On her final attempt, the LHS senior delivered her best throw of the prelims, which landed at 16.40m (53'9.75"). Then began the waiting game, as a number of top throwers were still to go. Lexington's captain stood anxiously by the cage, and she could only watch, as she fell to eighth position, the final spot that could qualify for finals, with three throwers left in the rotation. Luckily, none of the three were able to overtake her, and she was on to the finals. In those finals, the Cuthbertson was not able to best her mark in the first two rounds, and was staring at the very real possibility of leaving New York empty-handed. However, throughout the winter Cuthbertson has made a living off dropping bombs on her sixth throw of the competition. Sure enough, in the biggest moment of her career, she did it again. The weight crashed down at 17.29m (56'8.75"), which sent her up to third place overall, after Vanessa Jones of Warwick (RI) overtook Beard's mark with a throw of 18.11m (59'5"). And that was how it ended. None of the next five girls in the rotation were able to move back ahead of Cuthbertson. Which meant she was able to walk away with the bronze medal, and All-American honors.
With the bronze medal, Cuthbertson's performance made her the fifth LHS athlete in the last six years to earn individual All-American honors. She joined fellow classmate and captain Aubrey Deardorf, who was an All-American last spring in the long jump, as well as McKenna O'Hare Gibson (2024 Outdoor 400m hurdles), Kaden "The Sundance Kid" Cassidy (2023 Outdoor hammer throw), and Aleia Gisolfi-McCready (2021 Outdoor 400m hurdles). Now, as is tradition among the nation's top-ranked weight throwers, she will travel back to Boston to complete the "nationals double." The New Balance Indoor Nationals scheduled the weight throw for Saturday afternoon, and will give Cuthbertson the final opportunity of her illustrious high school career to compete in the event.
Up Next
Eyes return to the TRACK at New Balance on Friday, March 13th for day 2 of the New Balance Indoor Nationals. Senior captain Simon Tandeih will begin the day for LHS as he competes in the pentathlon, which begins at 8:45am. Along with Tandeih, sophomore Ella Tyson will toe the line in the 2 mile, Deardorf will compete in the long jump, and the girls 4x200m and distance medley relays will finish off the evening. All events can be livestreamed for free HERE.
Nike Indoor Nationals
March 12, 2026
The Nike Track & Field Center at The Armory - New York, NY
RESULTS
NEW YORK, NY - As a member of the Nike Elite Program, which sponsors 20 of the nation's top high school athletes each year, Lexington's Ainsley Cuthbertson was given the opportunity to compete at the Nike Indoor Nationals in the weight throw. The LHS senior entered the day as the #1 ranked thrower in the US, but went up against the next five best girls in the country on Thursday. With a field that talented, Cuthbertson had her hands full in what turned out to be a dramatic competition at The Armory.
Cuthbertson opened up with a conservative throw of 15.63m (51'3.50") that put her in fifth place overall. Shortly thereafter, Kimberly Beard from King's (WA) sent the 20lb weight rocketing out into the sector. That throw not only overtook Cuthbertson's US #1 mark, as it was measured at 18.10m (59'4.75"), but sent her down to sixth place after the second round. On her final attempt, the LHS senior delivered her best throw of the prelims, which landed at 16.40m (53'9.75"). Then began the waiting game, as a number of top throwers were still to go. Lexington's captain stood anxiously by the cage, and she could only watch, as she fell to eighth position, the final spot that could qualify for finals, with three throwers left in the rotation. Luckily, none of the three were able to overtake her, and she was on to the finals. In those finals, the Cuthbertson was not able to best her mark in the first two rounds, and was staring at the very real possibility of leaving New York empty-handed. However, throughout the winter Cuthbertson has made a living off dropping bombs on her sixth throw of the competition. Sure enough, in the biggest moment of her career, she did it again. The weight crashed down at 17.29m (56'8.75"), which sent her up to third place overall, after Vanessa Jones of Warwick (RI) overtook Beard's mark with a throw of 18.11m (59'5"). And that was how it ended. None of the next five girls in the rotation were able to move back ahead of Cuthbertson. Which meant she was able to walk away with the bronze medal, and All-American honors.
With the bronze medal, Cuthbertson's performance made her the fifth LHS athlete in the last six years to earn individual All-American honors. She joined fellow classmate and captain Aubrey Deardorf, who was an All-American last spring in the long jump, as well as McKenna O'Hare Gibson (2024 Outdoor 400m hurdles), Kaden "The Sundance Kid" Cassidy (2023 Outdoor hammer throw), and Aleia Gisolfi-McCready (2021 Outdoor 400m hurdles). Now, as is tradition among the nation's top-ranked weight throwers, she will travel back to Boston to complete the "nationals double." The New Balance Indoor Nationals scheduled the weight throw for Saturday afternoon, and will give Cuthbertson the final opportunity of her illustrious high school career to compete in the event.
Up Next
Eyes return to the TRACK at New Balance on Friday, March 13th for day 2 of the New Balance Indoor Nationals. Senior captain Simon Tandeih will begin the day for LHS as he competes in the pentathlon, which begins at 8:45am. Along with Tandeih, sophomore Ella Tyson will toe the line in the 2 mile, Deardorf will compete in the long jump, and the girls 4x200m and distance medley relays will finish off the evening. All events can be livestreamed for free HERE.