Women tracksters to run steeplechase event

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    By Kinohi Manning

    For the first time this season, BYU fans will have an opportunity to see and cheer on the BYU women”s track team as the BYU Invitational kicks off Saturday, April 7, at 10 a.m.

    BYU will compete against collegiate athletes from Utah State, Southern Utah, Weber State, UVSC and Ricks College. Professionals from the Mountain West Track Club, based in Missoula, Montana, will also compete.

    This weekend will be the first time fans can watch the women”s 3,000 and 1,500 steeplechase.

    Usually a male-only race, the grueling seven and a half laps of a 400-meter course include several unusual obstacles. Seven water jumps and 28 36-inch hurdles dot the course. The favorite obstacle of observers is the hurdle in front of the 12-foot water jump.

    The Cougars come prepared for the steeplechase.

    On BYU”s roster for the steeplechase includes the leading steeplechasers in the nation — senior All-American Elizabeth Jackson, senior All-American Courtney Meldrum and senior All-American Tara Haynes.

    Jackson, who placed first in the 2000 Olympic trials, is BYU”s strongest steeplechase runner, said head coach Craig Poole. Meldrum finished fourth and Haynes came in fifth at the Olympic trials.

    Shattering the American record by nine seconds, Jackson became the first American woman to break 10 minutes in the event.

    Jackson redshirted the 2000 track season in anticipation of the steeplechase status change, Poole said.

    While Jackson leads the Cougars in time, Meldrum pioneered the women”s steeplechase for BYU. Her time was the fastest time in the U.S. in 1996.

    Meldrum also redshirted the 2000 season. Like Jackson, Meldrum was also anticipating the future — the birth of her son.

    The pregnancy was an added bonus to her training for the steeplechase.

    “Sometimes when it hurts really bad, I think, ”I”ve felt worse, how bad can this be,”” Meldrum said.

    This will be the first year for the women”s steeplechase at the NCAA championships, and Haynes”, Meldrum”s and Jackson”s last year of college track eligibility.

    The three will run in the shorter 1,500-meter steeplechase this Saturday, April 7, as they recuperate from last week”s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Stanford Invitational.

    “I decided those in the 3,000 last week should run a 1,500 this week because we haven”t been working on hurdles and technical as much,” assistant coach Patrick Shane said. “They might get hurt if they try to run in the 3,000.”

    BYU has a few replacements in mind. Freshmen Nannette Evans, Katie Martin and Katie Moon will run the more grueling 3,000-meter course Saturday.

    Expect to see Evans to standout in the steeplechase in the future.

    “She”s just learning the steeplechase but she”s going to be great,” Shane said.

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