Des Moines, Iowa, June 24—Stars like Erica Bougard, Ajee’ Wilson, Shamier Little, and Shelby Houlihan are likely to remind track fans of the actual story when asked about the final day of the 2018 USATF Championships. Sunday’s 3-hour weather delay will be the convenient and likely repeated headline, but the women were minimally affected by Des Moines climate. Only one running contest, the 200, was contest post-break, and the field events were nearly wrapped up when the pause was called.
The 5000 presented Houlihan with the chance to make history after her 1500 win on Saturday. Only once previously had a 1500/5000 double been achieved (Regina Jacobs in ’00). Former Kentucky Wildcat Cally McCumber assumed the early lead, running a series of 75–77 second laps over the first 2000. Notre Dame’s Anna Rohrer brought the field through the 3000 in 9:33.10 with NCAA champ Karissa Schweizer in 2nd. Houlihan was off the pace but in contact through the early stages.
Schweizer went to the front with 1600 to go, increasing the tempo with consecutive 73s and a 72-second lap. This pace only primed Houlihan’s closing move as she surged to the front with 230m remaining. With Rachel Schneider now on her shoulder in 2nd, Houlihan found a devastating gear and screamed the homestrech looking like a sprinter to close the last lap in 62.85. Houlihan’s final time of 15:31.03 completed the historic double and bested Schneider’s 15:32.71.
Post-race, asked if the magnitude of the double had sunk in yet she said, “I don’t know if it’s really actually hit me yet.. I mean, I did set out to win both and it’s awesome that I did that.” Where did the big kick come from? “Somewhere down deep inside. I felt good throughout the race and I knew I had a lot left going into about 800m left. But my coach told me before the race, wait until 400 at least to start taking the lead. I know Rachel has a lot of speed so I was hoping she wasn’t on my shoulder coming up on me.”
800 meters was a noted distance on the day, and the 2-lapper served athletes well in many ways. Erica Bougard closed the heptathlon with an 800 victory, running an impressive 2:11.08 to win her fourth event of the seven. A final score of 6347 gave the former Mississippi State NCAA champ her first U.S. title, defeating Alex Gochenour’s 6003.
The open 800 final turned out to be career-defining for most of the field, and Ajee’ Wilson is to thank for the memorable run. She and training companion Charlene Lipsey carried a tight group though 400m in 58.82. Stanford alum Olivia Baker and fast-rising Ce’Aira Brown were on the heels of the duo while Raevyn Rogers was gapped. Wilson used her subtle yet effective acceleration over the final circuit to break contact with the field and earn her third USATF title in a Stadium Record of 1:58.18. At the same time, she carried 5 of the 7 behind her to PR’s. Three time NCAA Champ Raevyn Rogers moved well in the final straight to take 2nd in a lifetime best 1:58.57. Brown reached the podium in career low 1:58.65, and former Oklahoma Stater Kaela Edwards’ 1:59.68 was her first dip under 2:00. Baker (2:00.08) and Hanna Green (2:00.09) also earned lifetime bests.
In the previous four Nationals, Olympic silver medalist Sandi Morris never finished lower than 2nd. Sunday was no exception. Morris claimed her win by clearing three more bars than her nearest competitor, topping out at 15-9 (4.80). With the delay looming and clouds darkening, Morris passed on 15-11 (4.85) and asked for the bar to be raised to an outdoor WL 16-2½ (4.94). After one miss, the weather and a pending flight to catch forced her to conclude the competition with two attempts remaining.
The 200 semis were run in warm weather on a dry track. Brittany Brown edged 400 world champion Phyllis Francis in the first, with Jeneba Tarmoh and Ariana Washington a stride behind. The second started with Shania Collins moving quickly out of the blocks. Into the turn, Jenna Prandini shifted gears and crushed the field, her 22.22 into a 0.2 m/s headwind, missing her PR by just 0.02.
More than 5 hours later, with the storm gone, the final saw Prandini handily hold off former Oregon mate Francis, 22.62–22.83.
Without world leader Sydney McLaughlin in the long hurdles, no clear favorite lined up in Sunday’s final. Olympian Georganne Moline, who in recent years faced numerous injury setbacks, had been the fastest qualifier in the opening round. NCAA runner up Anna Cockrell, running in lane 8, started quickly and held the early lead. Moline moved to the lead at 150 with former NCAA and World Junior champ Shamier Little in position to strike. Little took the lead off of the final hurdle, as Moline stumbled, to win in 53.61. Moline held on for 54.12.
Versatile Maggie Ewen produced the second-longest put of her career, 63-3½ (19.29) and needed most of that as Jessica Ramsey used a first-round PR of 63-1¼ (19.23) to hold the lead until Ewen found her form in round 5. □