The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
On pace for Nike Nationals
Emma Coburn shattered a four-year-old meet record in the steeplechase at the 33rd annual Great Southwest Track Classic in Albuquerque, N.M. on Friday, June 6.
Coburn has been sharpening her skills for Nike Nationals again in hopes to bring back All-American status and a national title to Crested Butte and the valley.
Coburn ran 7:00.52 in the 2,000-meters steeple at over a mile high in elevation this past weekend in New Mexico.
Coburn went out at a torrid pace at the National regional meet and shaved 15 seconds off her time from last year’s race, and a full 11 seconds off the meet record. Her time would put her leading the nation in the steeple going into Nike Nationals, if you take the elevation into consideration. Emma also helped her Colorado team take second in the 4×800 meter relay and took seventh in the open 800-meters.
The steeple was such an exciting race to watch. With 200 meters to go, Coburn flew over the last two barriers, setting a new meet record and national leading time.
Coburn heads to Denver this coming weekend to play in the prestigious All State basketball game, and is going to a banquet where she was one of the finalists of the prestigious Steinmark award for top student athletes in all sports for the state of Colorado.
Joe Bosshard has been sharpening his skills getting ready for Nike Nationals as well, with a six-second personal record from last year in the 1,500-meter with a 4:11 and running in a very fast 800-meter field. Bosshard’s plan is to run under 14:40 in the 5,000-meters or under nine minutes in the two-mile at Nike Nationals, depending which event he eventually competes in.
Both athletes will still be representing their state next fall with track scholarships to the University of Colorado. The school has been the premier distance running school in the nation over the past 10 years.
Check out TeamPrepUSArunning.com to follow the runners and watch the video of their races.
