The preliminary rounds of the NCAA outdoor championships took place this past weekend with the top 48 ranked athletes from each of the east and west regions fighting for a top 12 finish to advance to the finals in Eugene next month. Among the more than 3000 athletes competing were three Lions – Lauren Gale and Keira Christie-Galloway in the west and Tommy Nedow in the east.
Gale, a junior sprinter at Colorado State University narrowly missed earning a spot in Eugene despite a personal best 51.96 second clocking in the 400 metres. The performance placed the four-time Mountain West Conference Champion fourth in her heat and 13th overall. Saturday’s performance was just the latest in a string of personal best performances this year, dropping just over sevenths since the start of the season. “I’m very excited to be part of the 51 second club,” said Gale of her performance. “I ran my first 200 well and then just held on and pushed the rest of the way.”
With the new lifetime best performance, Gale ranks third among Canadian women in the 400 metres this year, and leaves her in a prime position to be selected to Canada’s 4×400 metre relay for the Tokyo Olympics. In preparation for a possible Olympic nomination, Gale has decided to forego the Canadian Championships in Montreal, and the required quarantine period, and will stay in Fort Collins, Colorado to continue training with her collegiate coach.
Staying in the west, Keira Christie-Galloway posted her fastest time of the season in the 100 metre hurdles. The Arizona State Sun Devil was clocked in a windy 13.36 seconds to finish fifth in her heat. The performance ranked the Glebe grad 29th overall, improving 19 spots on her seeding.
On the east coast, discus thrower Tommy Nedow could only manage a throw of 47.74 metres. The distance placed Nedow 38th overall.
Outside the collegiate ranks, Stephen Evans ran 1:51.48 for 800 metres to place 19th at the Portland Track Festival. Back in Florida, Farah Jacques ran a seasonal best in the 100 metre hurdles of 13.58 seconds in the heats of the Pure Summer Invitational . She would run 13.67 seconds in the final to place third overall.