Oregon transfer Lilli Burdon confirmed on Husky roster; Efraimson sets 3000m PR in Rovereto...
Confirming what’s been reported in earlier posts on this site, All-American Lilli Burdon (left/photo by Paul Merca) has indeed made the move and will join Katie Rainsberger, Tanner Anderson, and Mick Stanovsek, all of whom asked for and were granted their release from the University of Oregon.
Burdon comes to Washington after finishing third last June in the 5000 meters at the NCAA track & field championships. She also helped the Ducks win the distance medley relay at the NCAA indoor championships in March, and finished 21st at the NCAA cross country championships last fall.
The native of New Zealand was 6th at the Pac-12 cross country championships, and fourth in the Pac-12 1500 and fifth in the 5000 at the conference championship.
Burdon and Rainsberger join a Husky women’s roster that includes NCAA steeplechase qualifier Emily Hamlin, plus sophomores Allie Schadler and Kiera Marshall, and junior Nikki Zielinski, all of whom ran in last year’s NCAA cross country championships.
Note that none of Washington’s incoming freshmen are listed on the current roster until the team reports to Seattle after Labor Day.
The roster is available here.
The school also posted on its website a story about what the vision of the Powells are as they move the Husky track and field & cross country teams forward. That story is available here.
On the pro circuit, Camas’ Alexa Efraimson finished third in the women’s 3000 at the Palio Citta Della Quercia meeting in Rovereto, Italy Thursday night.
Efraimson ran 8:52.53, as Meskerem Mama of Ethiopia won in a meet record 8:42.19.
Washington alum Katie Mackey of the Brooks Beasts was sixth in 9:00.09.
In the women’s 800, former Washington State volunteer coach and Idaho alum Liga Velvere of Latvia was fifth in a personal best 2:00.75.
Renelle Lamote of France took the win in 1:59.58.
In the women’s javelin, Vancouver’s Kara Winger finished fifth with a best of 181-8 (55.39m).
Christin Hussong of Germany was the winner with a best of 203-10 (62.14m).
Results of the meet are available here.
At Washington State, he won three straight NCAA discus crowns between 1968-70, and two Pac-8 titles in the discus.
His best at Washington State of 208-10 (63.67m) was the school record until US Olympian Ian Waltz broke it in 1998 when he threw 211-5 (64.44m).
Van Reenen broke the world record in the discus on March 14, 1975 when he threw 224-8 (68.48m). As South Africa was banned from international competition because of the country’s apartheid policies, Van Reenen never competed internationally in major championships.
Another Washington State hall of fame member, Bernard Lagat, will make his marathon debut in November, when he runs in the TCS New York City Marathon.
Lagat, 43, has competed at every summer Olympics on the track since the Sydney 2000 Games, winning silver and bronze over 1500 meters in 2004 and 2000, respectively, when representing Kenya. He became a U.S. citizen in 2004 and began racing for Team USA the following year.
In 2007, he became the first American to win an outdoor world championship gold medal over 1500 meters, making it the first Olympic or world championship gold in the event for the U.S. at the time since 1908, and followed that up with another gold over 5000 meters.
In 2012, Lagat finished fourth in the 5000-meter race at the London Olympics, crossing the line 1.33 seconds behind Mo Farah after being tripped during the race.
At the Rio 2016 Olympics, he was the oldest member of the U.S. track and field team at age 41, finishing fifth in the 5000-meter final. He has 11 world championship medals to his name in the 1500, 3000, and 5000-meter distances, including five golds. He is also the American record-holder in all three distances.
“I first competed in New York City in 2001 at the Millrose Games, and fell in love with the city on that trip,” said Lagat.
“I’ve been back again and again, and now have eight Wanamaker Mile titles, five podium finishes at the Fifth Avenue Mile, and I set the U.S. 5000-meter indoor record there. A few years ago, I was able to watch the TCS New York City Marathon from one of the lead vehicles, and I knew that when I ran a marathon someday, I wanted it to be in New York. I’m so excited to return for this new challenge and hope to continue the success I’ve had there.”
NOTE: The sports information offices of the University of Washington and Washington State University, along with the New York Road Runners, and the meet organizers of the Palio Citta Della Quercia contributed to this report.
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