Women's 1500 Meter Results
In one of the most anticipated matchups of the Trials Regina Jacobs triumphed over Suzy Favor Hamilton 4:01.01-4:01.81. Marla Runyan, returning to running from a weeks-long injury layoff just days before, placed 3rd in 4:06.44.
Collette Liss did the early pace work, leading through splits of 65.53 and 2:12.93, with Mary Jane Harrelson, Karen Candaele and Debbie Grant her closest pursuers.
In the third lap, Hamilton began to move up from the rear third of the pack. Jacobs shadowed her move. The two cofavorites hit 1100 meters (one lap to go) virtually even. Jacobs gained the early advantage as they kicked for home from 1200 meters (3:18.7 for Jacobs). Up the backstretch she put a meter and a half on Favor Hamilton, who never gave up.
Toward the end of the final turn with her stride fully extended, Jacobs looked to falter ever so slightly. If so, the break in stride was followed by a final acceleration entering the homestretch. Hamilton continued at full throttle behind her but was unable to close the gap.
Jacobs closing splits were 2:03.7 for the last 800, 57.6 for 400, 28.4 for 200 and 14.3 for the final 100.
Awesome race!
/Sieg Lindstrom/Results
1500: 1. Regina Jacobs (Nik) 4:01.01 {66.8, 67.1 [2:13.9], 64.8 [3:18.68], 42.33) (14.4, 28.0, 57.4, 2:03.5, 3:11.3); 2. Suzy Favor Hamilton (Nik) 4:01.81 (66.7, 67.1 [2:13.8], 64.9 [3:18,68], 43.03) (14.7, 28.6, 58.2, 2:04.7, 3:12.3); 3. Marla Runyan (Asics) 4:06.44 (67.1, 67.5 [2:14.6], 65.7 [3:20.3] 46.1) (15.9, 31.2, 62.2, 2:08.5, 3:16.5); 4. Shayne Culpepper (adi) 4:08.38 (67.1, 67.2 [2:14.3], 65.7 [3:20.0], 48.4) (16.7, 32.9, 64.4, 2:10.6, 3:18.6); 5. Mary Jayne Harrelson (unat) 4:08.76 PR (66.6, 67.2 [2:13.8], 66.4 [3:20.2], 48.6) (17.2, 33.5, 65.2); 6. Debbie Grant (NBal) 4:11.88 (66.6, 68.2 [2:14.8], 66.1 [3:20.9], 51.0) (67.5); 7. Colette Liss (InI) 4:13.45 (65.53, 67.30 [2:12.83], 67.2 [3:20.0], 53.5) (69.9); 8. Karen Candaele (adi) 4:14.71 (66.7, 68.0 [2:14.7], 69.1 [3:23.8], 50.9) (68.1); 9. Jamie King (unat) 4:16.14; 10. Jenelle Deatherage (WiR) 4:16.54; 11. Susan Taylor (BYU) 4:17.28; 12. Stephanie Best (Asics) 4:24.50.
Heat 1: Regina Jacobs jumped into the early and took control in 64.39, with Debbie Grant in tow. On the second lap, Runyon joined the two to form a distinct trio from the rest of the pack. Jacobs still led at 800 (2:14.34), with a string of runners behind her. On the backstretch Stephanie Best moved up into second, with those four tight together at the bell. At 1200 (3:22.72), Best started falling out the back of the front quartet, and Jacobs exploded with 200m (last 400m in 60.5, last 200m in 27.3) to go to win by 30m in 4;06.16. Runyon took second, Grant third, and Best fourth. Despite closing in 30.8 and 63.5, Runyon lost oodles of ground.
Heat 2: Mary Jane Harrelson took the opening lap here, passing 400m in 64.20. Tightly bunched, the pack edged all the way out into lane 3, with Suzy Favor Hamilton just off Harrelson's shoulder. Nothing changed at 800 (2:15.87), but on the backstretch Favor Hamilton took the lead, with Cobb in second. Favor Hamilton opened at 10m gap at 1200m (3:24.04), and continued widening her lead down the backstretch and around the corner, followed by Harrelson and NCAA winner Susan Taylor and Karen Candaele. Favor Hamilton ran 4:10.29, finishing in 61.8, while Harrelson closed in 63.2.
Heat 3: Collette Liss led the first circuit in 65.24, with Shayne Culpepper tight on her. At 800 (2:11.76), the duo had opened a 20m gap on third. At the bell the same pair seemed to be cruising by 1200m (3:19.30), with Alisa Harvey moving into third and trying to close the gap. Around the final corner Culpepper moved into the front to win in 4:10.38, followed by Liss. Suzy Jones outleaned Harvey for third. Culpepper closed in 33.8 and 67.9, while Liss finished in 35.4 and 69.47.
Results
I-1. Regina Jacobs (NYAC) 4:06.16 (64.39, 69.95 [2:14.34], 68.38 [3:22.72], 43.44) (61.2); 2. Marla Runyan (Asics) 4:09.68 (70.0); 3. Debbie Grant (NBal) 4:11.00; 4. Stephanie Best (Asics) 4:12.12; 5. Amy Wickus (Nik) 4:14.97; 6. Sonja Friend-Uhl (Asics) 4:15.44; 7. Shaquandra Roberson (Rice) 4:16.86; 8. Rebecca Wilmes (unat) 4:20.51; 9. Janet Trujillo (Nik) 4:21.73; 10. Rebecca Spies-Swain (NBal) 4:25.75; 11. Stephanie Pesch (Wi) 4:31.21; 12. Amy Lyman (BAA) 4:41.71.
II-1. Suzy Favor-Hamilton (Nik) 4:10.29 (63.8, 71.6 (2:15.4), 68.0 (3:23.4) 46.9) (61.8); 2. Mary Jayne Harrelson (unat) 4:12.11; 3. Susan Taylor (BYU) 4:12.53; 4. Karen Candaele (adi) 4:13.28; 5. Jenelle Deatherage (WiRR) 4:13.49; 6. Jamie King (unat) 4:13.52; 7. Kathy Fleming (NBal) 4:14.26; 8. Mary Cobb (unat) 4:17.33; 9. Melissa Teemant (BYU) 4:17.73; 10. Christine Gentile (unat) 4:20.02; 11. Joan Nesbit-Mabe (NBal) 4:20.18; 12. Juli Henner (Reeb) 4:24.77; 13. Jennifer Peck (unat) 4:31.43.
III-1. Shayne Culpepper (adi) 4:10.38 (68.6); 2. Colette Liss (InI) 4:11.90 (65.24, 6.52 [2:11.76], 67.54 [3:19.30] 52.6) (36.6, 69.5); 3. Suzanne Jones (unat) 4:16.36; 4. Alisa Harvey (unat) 4:16.41; 5. Kristin Manwaring (unat) 4:17.11; 6. Priscilla Hein (unat) 4:20.24; 7. Kimberly McGreevy (NYAC) 4:21.61; 8. Lindsay Nadauld (BYU) 4:24.72; 9. Sally Glynn (Stan) 4:25.16; 10. Becki Wells (unat) 4:59.48;… dnf-Jennifer Toomey (Reeb).