Racing College Competition, Leachman Runs 15:25.27 And Breaks Meet and American Under-20 Record

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Bert Richardson photos

Elizabeth Leachman made the most of an opportunity to race a collegiate women's field Thursday at the 96th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin. 

The sophomore from Boerne Champion broke Natalie Cook's national high school record in the 5,000 meters by running 15:25.27. In short order, Leachman has broken national high school records in the 3,200 meters outdoors and 5,000 meters indoors and out. 

That took 0.66 seconds off Cook's time of 15:25.93 from the same weekend two years ago at the Stanford Invitational. 

Leachman also ran under the U.S. Under-20 record. She won the race by 35 seconds and also broke the meet record. 

Ernest Cheruiyot of Texas Tech won the men's invitational 5,000 meters in 13:38.28, the top time in the NCAA so far this spring, a meet record and the fourth-fastest time in Red Raiders program history. 

Texas decathlete Leo Neugebauer, the NCAA record holder, put together a strong first decathlon of the season with 8,708 points and a new meet record on his home track. 

Mexican national record holder Jesus Tonatiu Lopez won the men's invitational 800 meters in 1:45.39.

Shafiqua Maloney from Captain Athletics ran 2:00.25 to break a meet record in the women's 800.

Omer El-Fadl from McNeese State won the men's 1,500 meters in 3:46.98. 

Juliet Cherubet from Texas Tech outlasted TCU's Gracie Morris to win the women's 1,500, 4:17.67 to 4:19.75.

Ball State's Jenelle Rogers won the women's heptathlon with 5,825 points and had a winning margin of 147 points.

Texas sophomore Jeremiah Nubbe won a close men's hammer competition with Jordan Geist of Iron Wood Track Club, last year's NCAA third-place finisher 239-10 (73.11m) to 239-0 (72.85m). Nubbe added 11 feet to his previous personal best. 

James Butler from Del Valle TX won the boys 2,000-meter steeplechase in a time of 5:54.14. Margaret Thompson from Hockaday School TX won the girls race in 6:56.27.