IMPROVING HER RACE STRATEGY and execution. Setting an American CR in her final collegiate race. Transitioning to becoming a pro.
It has been quite a 2025 for Lexy Halladay-Lowry. She spoke with T&FN in May about exciting progress in her final season at BYU toward her ultimate goals of success in the NCAA Champs, U.S. Champs and beyond. In last summer’s Olympic Trials, she had set a then-PR 9:22.77, but faded to 9th in the final lap.
“I haven’t always been the greatest racer,” she said. “I learned a lot from that race.”
The 2½ months since could hardly have gone better: She set an American CR 9:08.68 in finishing NCAA runner-up to Alabama’s CR-setting Kenyan Doris Lemngole, and Saturday ascended all the way to the top among her compatriots, surging in the final two laps to triumph in a near-PR 9:09.14.
Halladay-Lowry was hardly the clear-cut favorite. Seven came into Eugene with PRs between 9:03 and 9:15, including Paris Olympians Val Constien (9:03.22 PR) and Courtney Wayment (9:06.50), and the two fastest Americans of ’25, Gabbi Jennings (9:06.61) and Kaylee Mitchell (9:08.66).
Wayment took the pace from the gun and made sure it was honest, hitting the kilo in 3:02.41. Angelina Napoleon, Mitchell, Jennings, Halladay-Lowry and Constien were right there with three others close behind. Off the water jump before the 2K mark (6:12:47), Napoleon edged slightly ahead as the pace had relaxed a bit and allowed the extended pack of 9 to stay together.
Although she would later say she made her move with about 500 left, Halladay-Lowry first strode ahead of Napoleon with just under 2 laps remaining. The lead was just 3–5m at first, her tempo increasing moderately as most of her pursuers stayed close. But on the penultimate trip down the homestretch, Halladay-Lowry clearly ramped it up and the gap began to grow. It was more than 10m at the bell.
On the final backstretch Napoleon closed just enough to create belief that she might be able to rally back, but Halladay-Lowry had one final gear.
The winner’s last kilo was 2:56.63, with finishing laps of 68.93 and 68.56. Napoleon, just 20, held on to 2nd with a near-PR 9:10.96, while Mitchell (9:11.36) survived the furious kick (67.01, fastest of anyone) by Krissy Gear (PR 9:11.64). Wayment and Constien settled for 6th and 7th, behind Olivia Markezich’s 9:14.26 lifetime best, while Jennings faded to 9th.
Said Halladay Lowry, “I’ve been competing with the best in the world and I’ve been putting in the best workouts I’ve ever done and just building momentum throughout the entire season — throughout indoor, throughout the NCAA season, throughout this post-NCAA season and just having so much fun with it!
“We’re sending a super gritty team and yes, we’re young, but it’ll be a great experience and we’ll get to go and do it together.”
WOMEN’S STEEPLE RESULTS
FINAL (August 02)
1. Lexy Halladay-Lowry (NikeSwoosh) 9:09.14; 2. Angelina Napoleon (NCSt) 9:10.96; 3. Kaylee Mitchell (NikeSwoosh) 9:11.36; 4. Kristlin Gear (Hoka) 9:11.64 PR; 5. Olivia Markezich (OAC) 9:14.26 PR; 6. Courtney Wayment (On) 9:17.94; 7. Val Constien (NikeSwoosh) 9:19.14; 8. Angelina Ellis (UArmDS) 9:23.02; 9. Gabrielle Jennings (adi) 9:26.15; 10. Colett Rampf (USAr) 9:39.73; 11. Logan Jolly (Asics) 9:44.99; 12. Emma Gee (unat) 9:52.30;… dnf—Gracie Hyde (Pum).
HEATS (July 31)
I–1. Halladay-Lowry 9:37.53; 2. Constien 9:37.56; 3. Mitchell 9:37.74; 4. Ellis 9:37.89; 5. Rampf 9:38.01 PR; 6. Jolly 9:38.68; 7. Allie Ostrander (unat) 9:40.71; 8. Janette Schraft (unat) 9:55.19; 9. Rachel Anderson (MnDistanceE) 10:02.79; 10. Sophia McDonnell (NM) 10:16.55; 11. Layla Roebke (Louis) 10:25.19.
II–1. Napoleon 9:30.44; 2. Jennings 9:30.48; 3. Markezich 9:30.49; 4. Wayment) 9:30.70; 5. Gear 9:30.75; 6. Hyde 9:32.46; 7. Gee 9:33.08 PR; 8. Calli Doan (unat) 9:54.99; 9. Margaret Liebich (unat) 9:55.14; 10. Emily Paupore (CMi) 10:00.51; 11. Sara Van Dyke (CalCTC) 10:08.85; 12. Grace Gilbreth (MtSt) 10:29.32.
