{{Short description|American middle-distance runner}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Taryn Parks | fullname = | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|5|6|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | residence = | nationality = | spouse = | sport = Athletics | event = Middle-distance running, Cross country running | club = | worlds = | nationals = | headercolor = | pb = '''800m:''' 2:02.67 (2025)<br>'''1500m:'''4:05.92 (2026)<br>'''Mile:''' 4:23.10 (2026) <br>'''3000m:''' 9:34.21 (2023)<br>'''5000m:''' 16:06.62 (2024) | show-medals = yes | medaltemplates = }}
'''Taryn Parks''' (born 6 May 2002) is an American middle-distance and cross country runner.<ref>{{cite web|title= Taryn Parks|accessdate=14 May 2026|website=World Athletics|url= https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/taryn-parks-14783168 }}</ref>
==Biography== From Pennsylvania,<ref>{{cite web|website=Pennlive.com|accessdate=14 May 2026|url= https://www.pennlive.com/highschoolsports/2025/08/25-for-25-the-best-mid-penn-girls-track-and-field-athletes-of-the-century-so-far.html|title= 25 for 25: The best Mid-Penn girls track and field athletes of the century so far|date=August 12, 2025}}</ref> Parks won PIAA titles in cross country and on the track, including the girls 800 metres at the PIAA District 3 track and field championships at Shippensburg University and the girls mile at New Balance Indoor Nationals in 2019 in New York with the fastest high school time in Pennsylvania history with 4:39.05, and the 3A 1600m run in 4:37.07 that year at the PIAA track and field championships.<ref>{{cite web|title= Greencastle-Antrim's Taryn Parks reflects on nationals, looks ahead to spring|first= Ben |last=Destefan|url= https://eu.therecordherald.com/story/news/2019/03/17/greencastle-antrim-s-taryn-parks/5689818007/#|website=The Record Herald|accessdate=14 May 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|website=Herald Mail|url= https://eu.heraldmailmedia.com/picture-gallery/sports/2024/12/08/taryn-parks-track-and-cross-country-photos-north-carolina-greencastle-antrim/76856242007/#|accessdate=14 May 2026|title= Taryn Parks track and cross country photos |date=Dec 9, 2024}}</ref> In June 2019, she ran a personal best for the mile of 4:42.37 to place second at the Brooks PR Invitational.<ref>{{cite web|website=Mile Split|url= https://www.milesplit.com/articles/266434/taryn-parks-striving-for-foot-locker-greatness|accessdate=14 May 2026|title= Taryn Parks Striving For Foot Locker Greatness|first= Bryan|last= Deibel|date=Sep 4, 2019 }}</ref>
Parks graduated from Greencastle-Antrim High School in 2020. After attending University of North Carolina she won All-American honors for the first time as a Tar Heel at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Madison, Wisconsin, on November 23, 2024. An ACC champion in the indoor mile, that year Parks lowered her personal best to 2:02.70 for the 800 metres and 4:10.67 in the 1500 metres.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.publicopiniononline.com/story/sports/college/2024/12/10/greencastles-taryn-parks-is-ncaa-all-american-in-cross-country-for-north-carolina/76856342007/|website= publicopiniononline.com|title= Greencastle's Taryn Parks is an NCAA All-American in cross country|accessdate=14 May 2026|date=10 Dec 2024}} </ref> As a grad student in 2025, Parks qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a fifth-place finish in her 1500m heat at the NCAA regionals in Jacksonville.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chapelboro.com/sports/unc-sports/unc-track-field-to-send-7-athletes-to-ncaa-championships|website=Chapelboro.com|accessdate=14 May 2026|title= UNC Track & Field to Send 7 Athletes to NCAA Outdoor Championships|first= Brighton |last=McConnell | date=Jun 4, 2025}}</ref>
Parks placed fifth over 1500 metres at the 2026 USA Indoor Championships in 4:12.96.<ref>{{Cite web | url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7235071?eventId=10229581 |title= USA Indoor Championships|date=28 Feb 2026 |access-date=14 May 2026| website=World Athletics}}</ref> In February 2026, she ran an indoor personal best for the mile of 4:10.23 at the Boston University David Hemery Valentine Invitational.<ref>{{Cite web | url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7231469?eventId=10229582 |title= Boston University David Hemery Valentine Invitational|date=14 Feb 2026 |access-date=14 May 2026| website=World Athletics}}</ref> Also in Boston, Parks placed third in the B.A.A. Mile in April 2026.<ref>{{cite web|date=19 April 2026|website=Running Magazine|title= Canada’s Foster Malleck takes third at B.A.A. Mile|url= https://runningmagazine.ca/sections/runs-races/canadas-foster-malleck-takes-third-at-b-a-a-mile/|accessdate=14 May 2026}}</ref> The following month, Parks acted as pacemaker in the China swing of the 2026 Diamond League.<ref>{{Cite web | url= https://www.watchathletics.com/page/7710/results-xiamen-diamond-league-2026 |title= Results - Xiamen Diamond League 2026 |access-date=26 May 2026|date=23 May 2026| website=Watch Athletics}}</ref>
==Personal life== As of 2026, Parks trains with the Golden Peaks Track Club in Flagstaff, Arizona, alongside Ellie Baker and Katie Izzo, amongst others, and is sponsored by Adidas.<ref>{{cite web|website=Runnerspace|url= https://freihofers-run-for-women.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?event_id=5357&do=news&news_id=674871|accessdate=29 May 2026|title= On A Roll, Izzo Headed For Delightful Run For Women - RRW|date=28 May 2026}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Parks, Taryn}} Category:2002 births Category:Living people Category:North Carolina Tar Heels women's track and field athletes Category:American women track and field athletes Category:American women middle-distance runners Category:Track and field athletes from Pennsylvania Category:21st-century American sportswomen Category:American women cross country runners