Pullman's Katie Nageotte wins NACAC pole vault title, and ties outdoor personal best in the process...
Jumping against a small five-woman field that included two outdoor IAAF world championship medalists in teammate Sandi Morris and Cuban veteran Yarisley Silva, Nageotte took advantage of the slightly windy conditions that were blowing in their faces to win with a final clearance of 15-7 (4.75m).
Nageotte, who was competing in front of a large contingent of friends and family who drove to Toronto from her native Cleveland, Ohio, started the day with a first attempt make at 14-7.25 (4.45m), before needing two attempts to make 15-1 (4.60m), a height matched by Morris.
The graduate of NCAA Division II Ashland University in Ohio passed at 15-3 (4.65m), a height that Morris made on her first, and Silva on her second attempt.
The tide turned in Nageotte’s favor at the next height of 15-5 (4.70m) when she made on her second attempt. Meanwhile Silva needed all three attempts to get over the bar, while Morris was eliminated at that height with three misses.
Nageotte clinched the victory and tied her personal best with a second attempt make at 15-7 (4.75m), while Silva failed on her three tries. With the victory in hand, she took three attempts at a new outdoor personal best of 15-9 (4.80m).
Afterwards, Nageotte said,”I’m pretty excited to win, considering the trick conditions and a pretty bad headwind. This is the first time that I really ignored it and focused on the cues (WSU assistant coach and American record holder Brad Walker) have been working on. It wasn’t perfect but it’s been way better that what it’s been.”
“It’s always nice to tie your personal best, but I’m trying to inch my way towards my indoor PR (16-1.25/4.91m, set in February in Albuquerque in winning the USATF indoor title). I’m excited that I got to vault against a great field, and to win in front of my family and friends who drove up from Cleveland and saw me win in a Team USA uniform.”
In the men’s 5000, former Emerald Ridge standout Hassan Mead won a tactical race over former Brooks Beast Riley Masters and NCAA cross country champion Justyn Knight, using a 54.02 last 400 to sprint to the win in a final time of 14:00.18, with Masters second at 14:01.04, and Knight third at 14:01.77.
Former Renton resident Devon Allen saw his hopes for a NACAC title come crashing as he hit several hurdles and got himself tangled up with a hurdle, and found himself down on the ground, and was ultimately disqualified, despite crossing the finish line eighth.
Former University of Washington graduate assistant coach Christie (Gordon) Moehrman of Canada finished eighth in the women’s 100 hurdles finals, running 13.33, as Team USATF’s Keni Harrison, the reigning world record holder, won in a championship meet record of 12.55, breaking her own meet record of 12.66 set in Friday’s semifinals.
Sunday, former NCAA Division II and Western Washington alum Bethany Drake will throw the javelin, while Washington alum Izaic Yorks will run in the men’s 1500.
Drake begins throwing at 3:05 pm local time (12:05 pm in Seattle), while Yorks runs at 3:25 pm local time (12:25 pm in Seattle).
Complete results of the meet are available here.
Media partner RunnerSpace.com will have live streaming coverage ($) of the NACAC Championships through the athleticscanada.tv portal.
NOTE: Athletics Canada contributed to this report.
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