By Kim Holm
American runner Charlene Lipsey won the 800 meters Friday night at the Prefontaine Classic, setting a personal record with a time of 1 minute, 59.87 seconds. Lipsey was in last place at the start of the race, and was able to kick the last 100 meters to take first.
“I knew it was going to come down to the kick,” said Lipsey.
Finishing right behind her with a time of 2:00.62 was Chrishuna Williams.
At the start she fell behind Kimarra McDonald, who set a fast pace, leaving Lipsey behind. However, during the last 100 meters she was able to break through the pack—passing McDonald to take her win.
Lipsey now has a personal best in the 800 meters for the outdoor season. Earlier this year, during the indoor season, she set a personal best of 1:58.64 in New York. Now, Lipsey has set PRs for both seasons.
“During outdoors we’ve been taking it slow,” said Lipsey. “In indoor we were going really fast.”
Lipsey was a five-time All-American in the 800 meters at LSU, and a fourth-place finisher at the 2013 NCAA championships. But she didn’t know how she would fare against her competition at the 2017 Prefontaine Classic.
“I knew I had great competition with some of these girls,” said Lipsey. “I didn’t know if I had that kind of speed.”
Former Oregon runner Laura Roesler was a favorite with a personal record of 1:59:04. She finished sixth.
“You never know how these things will play out,” said Roesler.
She was runner up in the 800 meters at the 2016 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships with a time of 2:00.80, and took fourth in the IAAF World Indoor Championships.
Now, with a new personal best in under two minutes, Lipsey is looking forward to her future goals ahead.
“My main goal right now is trying to make the world team,” said Lipsey.
She will attempt to do this next week, when she will run the 800 meters in Boston.
