By now, it should not surprise that Nico Young has pure speed for a distance runner. He put that question to rest during the NCAA indoor season. And Saturday night at the Occidental College Invitational in Los Angeles, Young showed his versatility once more by edging teammate Colin Sahlman in a special heat of the 1,500 meters, 3:34.56 to 3:34.64.
Young’s effort was the third fastest 1,500 time in NCAA history. Of course, Sahlman holds the second fastest time with his 3:33.96 at the Bryan Clay Invitational last month, and he continued his breakout outdoor season with another strong effort. Young improved his 1,500 personal best by three seconds.
Both Sahlman and Young, however, fell short of the Olympic standard of 3:33.50.
A video of the final lap posted on social media showed that Sahlman, on the rail, led by a hair going into the final turn, but Young in lane two outkicked him — which is quite an accomplishment, since Sahlman is known as a fast finisher.
It was a speedy race featuring familiar pros. Matt Centrowitz, the 34-year-old Rio Olympic gold medalist who will retire after this Olympic cycle, showed some life by finishing third in 3:35.39, with former NAU champ Abdihamid Nur in fourth at 3:35.11. Ex-NAU Olympian Luis Grijalva also ran, finishing in 3:41.59.
Young returned later in the meet to win the 5,000 meters, essentially without competition, in 13:36.58 to log an NCAA regional outdoor qualifying time.
In the women’s 1,500, NAU’s Maggi Congdon opened her outdoor season is fine fashion, finishing second to pro Elly Henes, who trains in Flagstaff. Congdon ran 4:16.33, the fifth fastest in NAU history. Henes ran 4:12.19. The two were paced by Flagstaff’s Nikki Hiltz, who earlier in the meet won the 800 meters in 2:00.33 and ran her first 400 meter race ever (without using blocks) in 54.20.
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