Follett surprises once again with US leading time in 1500m at Occidental...

LOS ANGELES--Katie Follett's name may now be a part of the conversation for one of the three spots for this summer's USA world championship team after yet another outstanding effort at the Occidental High Performance meet Saturday night on the campus of Occidental College.

Follett (left/photo by Randy Miyazaki, trackandfieldphoto.com) bested a field that included world championships bronze medalist Shannon Rowbury and Treniere Moser, a former US national champion, to win in a new personal best and American season leading mark of 4:07.44, besting her previous personal best of 4:08.95, set three weeks ago at the Payton Jordan Invitational in Palo Alto.

After sitting in the first five spots for the first half of the race, the University of Washington grad, who now runs for Brooks, made a decisive move with about 225 meters to go, passing former Tennessee standout Phoebe Wright on the final straightaway, and perhaps surprising Moser, who made a late charge at Follett, but was a few steps too late.

Moser closed past Wright to finish in 4:08.10, with Wright getting third in 4:08.60.

Former Bellarmine Prep and North Carolina standout Brie Felnagle closed to finish fifth in 4:10.12.

Courtesy of media partner Flotrack, here is video of Follett's race.



Follett will need to run 4:05.90 or faster to attain the all-important A standard to get a spot on Team USA for Daegu later this summer, and place in the top three at the USA championships next month in Eugene.

The link to the IAAF standards for Daegu is here.

In other races at the Occidental High Performance meet, Auburn Riverside grad Jordan McNamara won the B section of the 1500 meters in a time of 3:42.26.


Complete results from the Occidental High Performance meet are available here.

In Tuscon, the throwers took center stage in day two of the Tuscon Elite throwers only meet at Drachman Stadium on the campus of the University of Arizona.

As she did on Thursday, Spokane prep standout and University of Oregon alum Britney Henry won the hammer with a mark of 224-4 (68.37m).

University of Washington volunteer coach Kimery Hern of Club Northwest finished tenth with a throw of 196-1 (59.77m).

In the mens discus, former Washington State star Drew Ulrick was fourth with a toss of 184-7 (56.27m), just ahead of former Husky Will Conwell with a throw of 181-8 (55.38m).

As he did on Thursday, Ft. Lewis' Michael Mai placed second in the men's hammer with a throw of 240-1 (73.19m).


Complete results from the Tuscon Elite throwers meet are available here.