Lindsey Anderson in the women's 3000m Steeplechase at the Mt Sac Relays (© Kirby Lee)
Walnut, USAThe only challenge for Lindsey Anderson in the women’s Steeplechase came from a slight breeze in the Mt. San Antonio College Relays on Thursday (16 April).
Anderson led from the start to win in a yearly leading 9:46.56 in her season debut in the 51st annual meet at Mt. San Antonio College Relays at Hilmer Lodge Stadium.
“It didn’t look like it was windy but there was a good little wind on that straightaway,” Anderson said. “I was hoping to have some to help push. It’s nice to be able to concentrate on your own hurdling but it made it tough to run every lap by yourself.’’
The solo effort was nevertheless a confidence boost for the 2008 U.S. Olympian.
Anderson ran nearly 10 seconds faster than her fourth-place finish in 9:56.44 at the 2008 Mt. SAC Relays. She went on to finish second in the U.S. Olympic Trials in a career-best 9:30.75 to earn a berth in Beijing.
“Last year was definitely a breakthrough for me and everything kind of pulled together,” Anderson said. “This year, I am looking to increase on that and get even faster. I am definitely in better shape than last year.’’
Anderson, who trains at her alma mater Weber State with her college coach Paul Pilkington, will run her next steeple in the Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford on 2 May in preparation for the USATF Championships in June.
High Jumper Day wins Heptathlon
Sharon Day, a 2008 U.S. Olympian in the High Jump, won the Heptathlon with a career-best 5823 points for the No. 2 mark by an American this season.
Day posted first day marks of 14.31 in the 110m Hurdles (3.1), 1.81m in the High Jump, 12.75m in the Shot Put and 24.97 in the 200m. Day’s mark in the High Jump was well off her PB of 1.95m on an afternoon of high winds where wind readings over 6.0 mps were recorded.
The 2004 IAAF World Junior High Jump bronze medallist finished the competition with marks of 5.94m in the Long Jump, 38.94m in the Javelin and 2:20.08 in the 800m. Annette Wichmann of Hawaii (GER) was second with 5334 points and Katia Lannon (GBR) was third with 5302.
Chris Randolph, the 2005 and 2006 NCAA Division II champion from Seattle-Pacific, won the Decathlon with a wind-aided 7636 points. Ben Hazell (GBR) was second with 7357 points and Desi Burt was third with 7484 points.
The competition was contested at Azusa-Pacific University in Azusa, Calif. the alma mater and training facility for 2008 Olympic champion Bryan Clay.
Elsewhere
In other events on the opening session of the three-day meeting in the Los Angeles suburb of Walnut, Carlos Trujillo turned in a 60-second final 400m to win the 10,000m in 28:52.26 over Diego Estrada of Northern Arizona (28:54.60) and Jeff Schirmir of Southern Illinois (28:55.34).
Catherine White of Arkansas won the women’s 10,000m in 33:37.83 and Cory Thorne of Louisville was the winner in the Steeplechase in 8:39.19.
Kirby Lee for the IAAF
